Three to Triumph
by HermiHugs
Summary: An ancient prophecy foretold a period of great struggle before the dawn of a new era of peace and harmony. This win for the 'light' is brought about by a 'Being Supreme' a result of joining of three bonded magical humans. Abandoned at an young age H/Hr/L
1. Chapter 1

**Author Notes:**

I came across two challenges by adodcefa, one of it is code named 'Royalty' and has Harry as a heir to the British Magical Throne and the other one is 'Magic wild' in which Harry and Hermione are raised by animals in the forest. My fanfiction has elements of both the challenges but does not conform to either of them entirely.

**Summary of the story Three to Triumph (or what I like to call- 'It Takes Three to Triumph Over Evil')**

An ancient prophecy foretold a period of great struggle before the dawn of a new era of peace and harmony. This win for the 'light' is brought about by a 'Being Supreme' a result of joining of three bonded magical humans. Three orphans, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger along the way with Luna Lovegood flee the 'polite society' which brought about their troubles. Growing up with a few animal friends/ familiars and developing powers, they are rescued by Lady Hedwig to be trained. Coming back into a society under the threat of Lord Voldemort, the three bondmates take the fight to the forces of darkness. They are supported by other sentient beings and a few 'light wizards' led by Albus Dumbledore. Harry Potter takes up the mantle of Ruler of Wizarding Britain ably supported by his two wives.

The three facets of nature as briefly alluded to in the story have been based on India Mythology represented by three well revered gods.

Brahma: God in charge of birth and creation- Srusthi

Vishnu: God in charge of restoring and maintaining balance- Laya

Shiva: God in charge of destruction- Vinasa

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

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><p><strong>Three to Triumph<strong>

**Chapter 1**

_**Time: Unknown, Present day Scotland**_

Those were the days when all magical users were free to roam the earth without any persecution or fear of prosecution. Goblins, High Elves, Low Elves, Centaurs, Merfolk and Fairies were among those that flourished in those days devoid of any discrimination. The magical beings were revered by the other intelligent species primarily the humans, this of course stemmed from the realization that the ones with power could very well use it to hurt those without power. The humans of that time lacked the ability to commune with nature and thus wield it's incredible power, what is today known as magic.

The gift given to by nature itself was not feared by those who did not have the ability to manipulate the power but instead respected it. The magical beings commanded but did not demand respect from the non-magicals. Their gifts were liberally used to make the lives of humans and other non-magical species as easy as possible helping out in their time of need whether for their wellbeing or treatment for any diseases.

The days were peaceful and life flourished on earth but with time, the differences in culture and the ways that magic was used by the magical beings started to brew resentment amongst them. The Goblins were a warrior species and though not too intelligent, prided themselves on their bravery. They always tried to settle differences by conflict, a process they advocated during disputes among humans too. At the other end were the fairies, who were gentle creatures willing to believe the best in all and tried to provide second chances for mistakes rather than retribution. Their magic kept the fields fertile, the trees filled with fresh fruit and rivers plentiful with fish. The High Elves being mostly royalty or nobility expected the other species to defer to them for any major decisions. Though every race had their own leaders and partial government, they did not have a means to connect with the other magicals or the humans over dialogue rather than conflict. The High Elves wanted to take control of a modicum government to rule over all the races on Earth whether magical or mundane. This angered the Goblins and nearly brought the entire world to the edge of a deadly conflict, a situation nature never wanted to or dreamed about. The Merfolk and Centaurs had their own territories where the others rarely trespassed and so were reluctant to mediate in the dispute between the others. The Low Elves on the other hand were creatures that liked to work for the benefit of others and therefore were willing to wait in the sidelines for a clear victor and offer their allegiance.

The three facets of nature or gods, if you will, sat together to bring about a resolution to this conflict. _Srusthi_ (Sanskrit for creation and Birth), _Laya_ (Sanskrit for balance and continuity) and _Vinasa_ (Sanskrit for death and destruction) sat for endless discussions over a tankard of mead. In what was a decade but a few months in Earth time, they finally decided to give the ruling authority over to humans who at that time were not only intelligent, brave and resourceful but were also tolerant to other races. They could see the potential for benefit for all the races due to the tendency for doing good that was the basis for all human life. No authority survives without power and it is more so when it was in an effort to bring an end to a brewing conflict, and so it was decided to grant a few select humans the gift of magic.

Those days the humans were divided into four sects based on their traits or skills and though the division was not strictly on familial basis, it was mostly so. Members of a particular family were discouraged but not forbidden to learn a trade that was not part of their family or dabble in the arts of other sects. This was a highly unusual level of tolerance that was seen only in the humans and not in the other races which never dared to learn new skills foreign to their own ancestors.

The so called rule of the humans started when four friends and brothers in all but blood took the reins of their sects.

The four friends were not only wealthy in terms of monetary value but also in knowledge, intelligence, character and good will. They encouraged their families to transcend the age old boundaries of sects and develop their god given skills but more importantly understand the differences and work with them. Lord Schlakett was the chieftain of those that were cunning and were capable of flourishing in politics and law making. Lord Griffter was the chieftain of the clan gifted in weaponry and led a fighting force meant to protect the lives of all humans. Lord Rownger prided in knowledge, learning and taking care of schooling for the masses. Lord Frairwood was the epitome of skilled hands responsible for art, entertainment and also the tools required for other trades.

The four lords came to their positions near simultaneously at a tender age of twenty and not only cared for their charges but also excelled in their duties. What sealed the decision for the three gods was their willingness to listen to the counsel of the other three friends rather than fighting over what they thought was best.

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The quarrel between the magical beings threatened to rip the world apart and forced the four friends to try and intervene. The chieftains of the different races finally agreed to meet under a neutral territory and Lord Griffter graciously agreed to play host. Hot tempers were never a good associate for peaceful negotiations and this instance was the same, bringing Liege Lord Goraunk of the Goblins and High Lord Asterius of the High Elves to the verge of drawing their blades against each other and enforce their rule over the other then and there, much to the dismay of the four humans. The other chieftains either kept quiet or tried to put as much distance between the two as possible for their own safety.

Into this scene of utter chaos flamed a beautiful silvery white phoenix with a golden crest and plumage of iridescent white. This phoenix was unlike any that the congregation had ever seen and apart from the unusually pure colouration, the majestic bird was much bigger than normal. The phoenix travelled by fire that glowed in all the colours of the rainbow rather than fiery red flames usually seen with other phoenixes. The unfurled wings tipped by emerald green were nearly six feet from end to end and the presence of the bird commanded a respect that was unequivocally given by all those present in the room. They unanimously dropped to the floor on their knees bowing to the noble bird. The trill of the phoenix in an unfathomable melody not only stilled their hands but also filled their hearts with an unusual emotion, a sense of shame and a desire to correct their mistakes, mingled with hope.

The phoenix hovered in midflight and changed to a beautiful woman dressed in robes of silvery white with an emerald green trim and adorned in a simple tiara of pure gold designed to keep her transparent veil in place. The uncommonly handsome features of High Lord Asterius paled in face of the outwardly beauty of the woman. What caught the attention of all the occupants of the room was the respect just her presence commanded.

The woman gave a nod of acknowledgement and spoke in a voice reminiscent of angels, "Rise my children." When her gentle command had been obeyed, the host Lord Griffter led her to the head of the table giving up his place.

Seeing the expectant looks on the face of all those present, the woman gave them a pleasant smile and spoke, "My name is Hedwig and I am here in the role of a messenger for the gods."

The audience was shocked; they believed in gods but never in their walking hours thought about meeting one of them, albeit a messenger but a goddess none the less. Letting out a gentle chuckle at the gob smacked looks she continued, "Your stubbornness to accept the differences among the different races has forced the gods to intervene." This was directed mostly at the two warring chiefs much to their shame and though the reprimand was gentle it struck with the force of a hammer.

"Once forced, the hand of god can be deadly but there is salvation for you all. You will form a governing body that is in charge of all the magical beings on this planet whether it is the Elvin Royalty, the mighty Goblins or the lowly Pixies. This body will be composed of a representative of all the races and headed by a human."

This announcement brought forth a silence that was unbroken for a good five minutes. The only movement in the room was the gentle sway of the veil of Lady Hedwig. The four human lords looked at each other with mouths hanging open unable to decide if the news was a welcome one or one that would bring danger to all of them. Meanwhile the other chieftains were furiously thinking about the implications and repercussions of the announcement.

Their attention was brought back to Lady Hedwig when she continued to lay down the rules, "This is not an opinion but an order. The four of you, Lords Frairwood, Griffter, Rowenger, and Schlakett will head the governing body in turns. Each one of you will hold the responsibility for four years and once you pass on, your eldest son or daughter would take your place."

The four friends had no problem with that arrangement as they respected the other three but the only problem was that they could not win against any magical being let alone an angry Goblin or a pissed of High Elf. They however did not dare to voice their question lest they anger their guests or give out any ideas detrimental to their continued living. They however noticed that Liege Lord Goraunk and High Lord Asterius were staring at each other with unblinking eyes while the rest held their collective breaths. After a few minutes of non-verbal parley the two nodded their heads simultaneously.

Lord Goraunk voiced the one point that could spell disaster to the arrangement, "No offence to my human friends but I fear for their safety. With no means to protect themselves against the force of nature wielded by us magicals, they may not be able to do their duty without fear or favour. Our representatives could give them a semblance of protection but they would still be vulnerable."

Lord Frairwood gave him a grateful smile, "Thank you Lord Goraunk and no offence taken, it was our main concern too."

Lady Hedwig gave them a benign smile, "The gods have decided that yours will be the first four human families to be bestowed the gift to wield magic. Your tolerance and ability to command your families with their best interests at heart was one of the main reasons for this benevolence. Your progress and the way you wield this power would then decide if other humans are worthy of this gift. It will also greatly enhance your life time, use it well."

This was shocking in itself but pleased the four friends very much. Now they would truly be equal to the other magical beings. The silence that followed by the Proclamation was broken by the chief of the Centaurs, Dradian clapping his hands together which was quickly taken up by the Low elves glad that they have someone to follow. Congratulations were quickly given to the four humans who were now named as Kings of the magical world with the blessings of Lady Hedwig.

When the guests partook of a glass of wine in celebration of a successful and amicable solution to the predicament, Lord Griffter was proclaimed as the first king due to the fact that it was in his manor that peace was restored. He approached Lady Hedwig and bowing to her invited her and the rest of the guests to dinner. When the divine lady entered the dining room on his arm, King Griffter was a very happy head of the governing body.

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The years following the proclamation of king of the magical world were those of peace and tranquility. Fair taxes and laws were enacted to assist the old and invalid and those unable to find their livelihood, while the skilled were never short of work or their just reward. Disputes were few and far in between and the few that raised their ugly head were quickly and amicably solved by the 'First Four' as they were fondly called by the masses.

Even the non-magical community benefited by this, there was no distinction between the two societies as all humans regardless of their sect or magical status lived together. The happy emotions and general positive energy greatly strengthened the spirits of the non-magical humans and other species also and this helped enrich the society as a whole and continued to create a healthy living atmosphere.

Greatly bolstered by the success gained with giving magic to humans, the three gods gradually began to reward exceptional deeds with the ability to wield magic. Due to this and the marriages between magical and non-magical humans, slowly but surely the number of magical humans began taking an upward trend. The three gods were happy with their handiwork but a few decades later _Laya_ poured cold water on their euphoria when he uttered a prophecy to the other two:

**Three born at the stroke of three…**

**Forged in the kiln of adversity…**

**The bonds of friendship strong…**

**The Being Supreme arisen of the three…**

**Bring forth the light smothered by the dark…**

**Unite will all the magic and the living…**

**With the Triumph of the Three…**

Lady Hedwig being a phoenix and messenger of the gods was tasked with finding the three children, probably orphans, and render aid when required. She was ordered to reveal the prophecy only to the three involved and their guardians at the proper time.

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Life continued with the passage of time and the four kings began to enter the twilight of their lives, giving the reigns to their first born, the original four friends receded from the limelight. The descendants off the 'First Four' continued to keep the peace whenever needed but their power and popularity began to wane due to the malicious intent of a rising faction of magical humans or wizards as they now began to call themselves. As seen with the other sentient species, jealousy and greed whether for money or power began to creep into the very fabric of the once peaceful and tolerant society.

The original participants that witnessed the birth of a magical king of wizarding world accompanied by their wives, met over dinner at the house of Lord Wabalaby, the erstwhile king of the Low Elves to reminisce over the times. Many of them passed on to the land of the spirits and the dead but the powerful few still remained.

The discussion was focused on the troubled times and the possible future. Everyone present could see the rapidly gathering darkness, a darkness which threatened to wipe out all that they achieved through the intervention of divine forces when the world was at the brink of bitter conflict. Plans were tossed around preparing for the worst and find a means to preserve their way of life and thinking.

Their discussion was interrupted when Lady Frairwood suddenly stiffened and in a ringing voice began reciting the tale of a very grim future, a future laden with prejudice and feud over blood status and purity. The non-human races subjugated to servitude or annihilation. She foretold about a world where anarchy and deceit would reign supreme and the forces of good nearly trampled to the ground before being saved. Their own descendants would revive the age old traditions of honour and selflessness. The reputation of the 'First Four' would be restored to its highest due to the action of their many times grandchildren during the time of profound darkness that threatened to over throw everything that even the gods stood for. The Great War would finally restore the broken friendship between the original participants though by that time some of the races would be lost for eternity.

The somber atmosphere that followed the declaration, allowed the diners to formulate their plans. Over the next few days, furious discussions took place in complete secrecy among the families involved and measures were taken to ensure that their legacy would not be lost. Family history and secrets were saved in 'Grimoires' that were charmed to survive the vagaries of time and tide, so that their descendants by blood or magic could access in their time of need.

Lord Griffter enacted a binding oath that would eventually lead the sons of the same father to split and take new names for themselves when faced with annihilation. They would be forced to take any and all measures to ensure that the original Griffter line would survive, even if the surviving member had to go into hiding.

Lord Rowenger cast a spell on his descendants that would ensure that their magic would go dormant when the darkness manifests itself and when the time is right the descendent at that time would manifest his or her magic.

Lord Schlakett knew and accepted that there was a chance that any one of his family could be betrayed and led to turn against their friends and family. After all they were known for their cunning and if that would happen, and if his descendants were to meet on opposite sides of a battle, then the descendent who was in the wrong would lose his body and his magic.

Lord Frairwood cursed his family that there would be no patriarchal head after a few generations down the line, and even if his name was no longer in use, his magic would always be through the daughters of his family.

The Goblins vowed to ally themselves with the true king when he would eventually return to take his proper place as the ruler of the magical world. The Low elves freely bound themselves to the humans vowing to help them out when needed. Unfortunately this bond would be perverted over time and the Low Elves began to be called as House Elves and treated as slaves. In all this, the High Elves decided to distance themselves and theirs would be the first race to become unseen by others.

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Then one day a couple of centuries later, the governing body led by the 'First Four' was overthrown and their authority to rule the people was subverted. Few of those remaining loyal that were in high ranking positions were quickly silenced or swayed by gifts of gold and influence and they also supported the removal of the rightful rulers from power. Their forefather's curse was activated and the Griffter family no longer existed, and the Frairwood name was no longer heard as only daughters were born into that family. Even then, the descendants of the four families continued to maintain contact and occasionally intermarried to continue their lines in their children.

Many centuries later when the darkness began to take root in the early 15th century, Lord Rowenger's curse activated and one of the first families to get the gift of magic was lost to time waiting to surface when needed. Most of the knowledge about the ruling families was lost to time, only the four families that were given the right to rule knew about their true role in their society and diligently worked to maintain the knowledge and the particular skills their families were known for. There was no need for Lady Hedwig to continue her visits to the mortal world and now all she could do was to wait for the inevitable event where the darkness would take root and the birth of the prophesied three.


	2. Chapter 2

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 2**

_**July 31**__**st**__** 1980; 3 PM St. Mungos hospital for Magical maladies**_

The private room reverberated with the cries of a new born announcing to whoever was interested, about his arrival to the land of the living. The proud father, a twenty year old man with jet black hair and brown eyes hidden behind glasses was clutching a redheaded woman with green eyes of similar age and weeping for joy. When the mediwitch placed his bundled son in his arms, the young parent felt like he was on top of the world.

His wife who was snuggled into his side smiled at the tender image, she never expected that she will be giving birth to this man's son, a man whom she nearly despised. That was before she saw the reason for his immature pranks on fellow students at Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry; they were all payback for some of the dreadful acts the recipients of the pranks committed. With a civil war going on and death eater recruiting at an all-time high, if the pranks played by James Potter and his two best friends stopped some of them joining in, who was she to despise them?

"Harris James Potter" she tested the name again before finally giving her nod, "I like that name James. Not too old fashioned but also reflects the nobility in him. I know you are dying to show him off, go" Lily Potter gave her husband a gentle push. She needed to rest for a few minutes to recoup before her son would demand to be fed.

That was all the encouragement that James needed. Planting a swift kiss on his wife's forehead and shooting her a heart stopping grin, James bundled his fidgeting son tight and nearly bounded out of the room and to the visitor's area where his friends Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin were waiting. Seeing their friend coming towards them with a bundle cradled in his arms the two gave a not so subdued whoop of joy. The passing matrons of the ward gave them a scowl worthy of an angry pit bull which immediately shut the two visitors. They resorted to linking their hands with the father and twirling him around slowly, mindful of the infant.

Gently moving the blanket from his son's face James introduced his son to the two, "Guys, this is Harris James Potter and Harris, this is your godfather Sirius and honorary uncle Remus."

The black haired aristocrat was moving to get a glimpse of the baby but was rendered immobile by James' words. Tears were threatening to spill out of Sirius' eyes but he managed to stop them sufficiently to grasp his friend in a hug right after Remus took the child into his arms beaming to be called an uncle.

Sirius took the newborn into his arms and one look at the angelic face of his godson gave him a premonition of the tough times ahead. Turning to James he put words to his plan, "Prongs, I think it is time my friend, I fear that our time in this world is coming to an end very soon and this little guy is the only hope we have."

Both James and Remus were struck speechless at this revelation. Sirius was usually a very easy going guy, pranks and jokes dictating his life but whenever he uttered words like this with an ominous note, they took heed. James gave his head a tiny shake, "… and we all know how true your gut instincts generally are. Are you sure about this Padfoot?"

In answer, Sirius just bit on his thumb drawing blood and smeared it onto the infants face drawing gasps from the two watching men. Before he could be interrupted Sirius put his hand on Harris' head and in a solemn tone spoke the words of the ancient rite that not only brings someone into their family as an heir but also gives them some of his magic and makes them his child by blood and by magic.

The end of the rite gave the two speechless friends the push to react to Sirius' amazing move. "What have you done Padfoot? You effectively closed any avenue to have a kid of your own" exclaimed Remus.

The disarming grin that charmed many a witch in their time at Hogwarts surfaced once more, "I know what I did. I made sure that the Black line and its magic would continue forever." Holding his now son to his chest Sirius' voice took that ominous tone again, "He is the only hope we have for defeating the darkness and I for one am going to give him all the advantage I can think of."

James could only gape at the maturity that his often clownish best friend was displaying. Lily often wondered if Sirius had the ability of foresight and divination, but he rebuked saying that Blacks were never seers. James had to revise that opinion now. Taking his agitated son back into his arms James started to walk back into Lily's room; it was time for his son to feed.

Lily was surprised and a little alarmed seeing the blood on her son's forehead but James quickly dispelled her fears, "He is now Harrius James Potter on Sirius' request."

A gob smacked Lily began breast feeding her son and could only blurt out, "he didn't!"

James solemn nod was all the confirmation she needed. Her son had two fathers now and she could not help but feel a little better, with the dark times ahead her son needed all the protection he could get and if having two fathers, both of them wealthy lords gives him any advantage, she was not going to object.

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Unknown to any mortal who would have been watching, two sets of parents wholly unconnected with the Potters were also blessed with babies at exactly the same time that Harrius Potter was born, right down to the millisecond, if the watcher was particular.

Hermione Jane Granger was born to two dentists in a south London hospital and she would inherit her mother's bushy brown hair with her father's chocolate brown eyes. The girl would turn out to be the first magical user in many centuries born into that family, a fact that brought a hint of fear to her parents' hearts and the implication of which would turn out to be significant in the whole fight against the darkness.

In a country house 5 miles west of Great Malvern another girl, Luna Celeste Lovegood was born to an experimental spell creator and the editor of the wizarding newspaper Quibbler. Her serene smile not only brought joy to her mother but also to the grass and trees in the woods near their house.

_**Halloween night, 1981 Potter's Cottage Godric's Hollow**_

That night the fate of the entire world hung in a delicate balance. Evil came very nearer to its triumph like never before and would have too if it was not for the curse of one of the heads of the 'First Four' families and some divine intervention.

The family of three was enjoying a quiet evening in a small but tastefully furnished cottage. The two adults were watching their son playing with some stuffed toys while wistfully gazing out of the window thinking about all the kids going candy hunting. Their somber mood was due to the fact that none of the kids would knock on their door and also that they could not take their son out on his own 'Trick or Treating' experience.

James and Lily Potter with their fifteen month old son Harry Potter were hiding under the 'fidelius charm' designed to make the entire cottage and the knowledge of their dwelling unidentifiable unless specifically told by the secret keeper. The reason for this extreme but still not infallible step was a prophecy given by Hogwarts' prospective divination professor Sybil Trelawney to the headmaster and the acknowledged leader of light, Albus Dumbledore.

**The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...**

**Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...**

**and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...**

**and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...**

**The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies**

Their peace and quiet was shattered by an exploding door showering the three with splinters. Standing on the threshold was the dreaded dark lord Voldemort with a maniacal grin on his face. Both the elder Potters knew instantly that they could not escape the fourth time especially as the dark lord was followed into the room by one of their friends but more importantly the secret keeper Peter Pettigrew.

James did the only thing he could, he drew his wand and fired off curses to try and give his wife time to escape with Harry, "Lily run away, take Harry and run."

Even though she knew it was futile as Lord Voldemort was batting away James' spells with lethargic ease, Lily picked up her son and tried to get out of the room only to be brought to her knees with a well-aimed tripping jinx from Pettigrew. Finishing James with an often practiced '_**Avada kedavra**_' Voldemort turned his attention to his intended target, the little boy watching him with wide eyes clutched in the hands of his mother still sprawled on the floor.

As promised to his other faithful servant, Severus Snape, Voldemort tried to spare the redhead's life, "Get away from the boy girl. I will spare your life if you give away your son."

Voldemort was not known for his love or any feeling of compassion so he was slightly surprised by the spirited defense, "No, please kill me but spare Harry, please" Lily begged the emotionless leader of murderers.

Losing his patience Voldemort turned his wand to the defenseless toddler and the green curse shot out again, but like all mothers Lily Potter threw herself in front of her child praying that the sacrificial ritual she performed would save little Harry's life.

"Foolish girl" Voldemort scoffed before firing the dreaded curse again this time anticipating his victory against the unshielded child who could be one of the two boys prophesied to defeat him. The curse from the most powerful dark lord fought with the blood protection put on Harrius James Potter by his mother and her defense was aided by the ancient curse on the family of Lord Schlakett.

The blood protection was designed to draw power from the child's magical core and would have easily repelled the killing curse from any average wizard. But Voldemort was far from average, the enormous power that he put in the killing curse was beginning to quickly overpower Lily Potter's protection. The sacrificial ritual now required a big boost of magical energy to power itself and so did the only thing it could do to repel the curse, it detonated the toddler's magical core.

The enormous magical backlash quickly pulverized the dark lord. Any mortal would have immediately been killed but Lord Voldemort was thankful that he put a portion of his magical essence into a diary just for such contingencies. The ritual to tear away a part of his magical core and store his life's essence in an inanimate object was agonizing but he thought the pain was worth it. Though his body and magical essence remaining in his body were destroyed, the stored away portion of his magical essence prevented his demise.

'Now all I need is to find Lucius Malfoy and put my body back' Voldemort thought. Unfortunately, the blast that caused him to lose his physical body, rendered him into a wraith and without a means to travel, began drifting and to his dismay away from the location of his intended follower.

Peter Pettigrew was stunned; by pure luck he happened to be behind his master when Harry's magical core detonated and was saved from the backlash. He saw that the dreaded Dark Lord was dead and so will he be if he was caught anywhere near the rapidly crumbling cottage. Pettigrew grabbed his master's wand and stowing it safely in the pocket of his robe transformed into a rat and scurried away to save his skin.

_Laya_ was being driven thin that night with all the mayhem that Voldemort caused, but the god whose purpose to keep the balance in the world, had one important task to do. The magical blast would have destroyed the twice prophesied child if not for his timely intervention protecting the tiny body from any damage except for a lightning bolt scar on its forehead where the curse impacted. He even managed to divert the falling roof away from the hysterical toddler. Smiling at his handiwork _Laya_ now went back to his office to prepare for the changes to the timeline that were bound to happen due to the intervention.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_**Halloween night, 1981 Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**_

In Scotland, Albus Dumbledore was a harried old man, he just received news that one of his old students, a warrior for light and member of the 'Order of Phoenix' Sirius Black was cornered by his own cousin Narcissa Malfoy nee Black and her husband Lucius Malfoy along with a couple of low level death eaters and was fighting for his life. As he was already out of the castle, he began hurrying to cross the anti-apparition wards of the castle to try and apparate to Sirius' perceived location. He hoped that he was not too late; he was rendered nearly immobile and unhappy that his phoenix Fawkes underwent a burning day.

Just as he was about to apparate out, the alarm that was tied to a monitor designed to warn of any structural damage to the Potter's cottage, blared. It was rare to shock the wise old wizard but he was now. The warning ward was not breached telling him that there was no forced entry but rather betrayal on the part of the secret keeper.

Changing his destination at the last moment when apparating was not advisable, but desperate times needed desperate measures. Even though he already knew that there was no need for any haste as the monitor already indicated heavy structural damage to the Potter's cottage, Albus Dumbledore apparated to the Potter's cottage. Arriving at Godric' Hollow he was welcomed by nothing but rubble, even the flames have died by the time he reached there.

A solitary tear made its way down his wrinkled cheek, 'Oh Lord! I should have known that Pettigrew was the spy, yes Severus was a death eater too but at least he repented and spied for the 'light' side. I should have put my foot down when James decided to change secret keeper to Pettigrew. Yes, Sirius was the obvious choice and probably everyone would have known who the secret keeper was, but he would have laid down his life in defense of his friends.' No one, not even Dumbledore knew that little Harry Potter was more than his friend's son to Sirius Black.

While these thoughts were eating away at Dumbledore's heart, he made his way towards the cries of the miraculous survivor of the horrendous act. Lifting the catatonic Harry into his arms he tried to calm him down but finally had to resort to a sleep spell to put him out. Dumbledore also spied the robes of Lord Voldemort among the rubble but there was no sign of a body or of that of Peter Pettigrew. 'So my suspicions were correct, Tom did find a way to save himself' the wizened wizard sighed and began to walk back to level ground.

A rustling sound prompted him to draw his wand and Dumbledore only relaxed when he saw that it was his friend Hagrid, the half giant lumbering towards him. Hagrid was inconsolable but took comfort seeing that Little Harry Potter was alive and relatively unscathed.

Getting his cries under control Hagrid delivered the news, "Professor Sir, I met a few aurors when I was about to go help Sirius Black." He burst into fresh sobs, "He is dead sir, killed by his cousin's hand. They also told me that Remus Lupin was also dead."

This was a blow one too many for the old wizard and he visibly sagged against a nearby tree and only Hagrid steadying him prevented Dumbledore from toppling to the ground with the sleeping toddler. Reaching over, Hagrid relieved the headmaster of his burden.

Taking a few minutes to regain his composure, Dumbledore focused on the present and the need to protect Harry. In a strained voice he spoke to the gentle giant, "Take young Harry to be looked over by Madam Pomfrey Hagrid and then bring him to his aunt's house at Little Whinging in Surrey. That is the only place safe for Harry now." Reaching with his legillimency, Dumbledore implanted the location of Petunia Dursley's house into Hagrid's mind.

"Professor Sir, is it not better to have Harry raised by some magical family? Maybe Longbottom or Bones rather than with muggles, anyone would be happy to raise the little tyke."

It would definitely be better if Harrius Potter was raised in a magical home but Dumbledore knew that the two families that Hagrid named were also threatened. No, Harry would be safe away from all things magical at this time, "No Hagrid, the best protection for Harry now is with a blood relative. With his godfather gone, his aunt is the only living one now. Take your time to get there but ensure that Madam Pomfrey checks him out thoroughly."

Taking his dismissal Hagrid left to call the knight bus to take him to Hogwarts, he could not apparate and that one act would let the world know about the legend of the 'Boy-Who-Lived'.

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Residents of Privet Drive would have been surprised to see two oddly dressed people waiting impatiently outside house number four in the chilly pre-dawn hours. They were roused by a 'bang' of the arriving knight bus and saw Hagrid alighting with the bundled up Harry.

Putting the toddler into the outstretched hands of the visibly distraught deputy headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall, Hagrid addressed the headmaster, "Sir, Madam Pomfrey confirmed that Harry is in good health and there is nothing dangerous in him. The scar just has some residual dark magic which she said would dissipate in a few hours." Dumbledore was relieved, his brief scan confirmed that the scar was just that, a scar but he did not want to rely on just his hastily cast spell only.

McGonagall kissed Harry's brow and tucked him into the baby carrier lying on the doorstep of the Dursley residence. "Are you sure that this for the best Albus? Do you want me to ring the bell and rouse them?"

"No my friend, as you know the Dursleys do not look kindly upon any magic or magic users so it's best not to disturb them."

With heavy hearts the three disappeared from Privet Drive, the larger bulk of Hagrid taken by side-along apparition, making a slightly louder than normal 'crack'.

Surprisingly, the thought that a magical toddler may not be welcome by those who did not want anything to do with magic in their lives, did not cross the mind of the wizard who prided himself in his intelligence and ability to plan for any eventuality. And so the one prophesied to save wizarding Britain from the scourge that was Lord Voldemort was left on a doorstep with just a note pinned to his blanket along with a newspaper and a couple of milk bottles.


	3. Chapter 3

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 3**

_**August 1987, Uckinghall **_

Watchers and wanderers alike immediately averted their eyes as soon as they landed on a nondescript boy of about seven years wearing tattered rags too large for him, sitting in a park on the outskirts of the town and tearing away at a loaf of slightly stale bread. The tattered clothes that were barely holding together did little to alleviate any suspicions that the inhabitants of the quiet little town may have had of the boy. If they were to take the time to properly look at him however, they would have been captivated by his startling green eyes and the hint of something powerful lurking behind those eyes. Even hidden partially behind the ugly black wire framed and smudged glasses, the eyes were still mesmerizing. The messy black hair long in need of a proper trimming hid a jagged scar on his forehead that looked like a bolt of lightning, which he apparently acquired when his parents were killed in an accident.

Leaning with his back to a tree and oblivious to everything happening around him, Harry Potter was concentrating on the food he had in his hands, something that has been occurring with increasing rarity these days. His experience taught him two vastly different things when it concerned food, if you have it in your hands do not take any time to devour it, but if you have had not eaten for some days, then take some time to devour it. That was what was happening with him at the moment as it was his first meal in three days.

Chewing the slightly hard bread thoroughly so that it would stay in his stomach, he cast his glance around the small run down park. The lack of any maintenance to the park suited him perfectly as he did not want parents shooing him away from their well looked after and loved kids or worse still alert someone in authority to take him away. Not that he wanted and dreamed of a loving home, but his trust in authority and parental figures were shot to pieces due to the acts of his aunt and uncle.

A slight movement to his right and near some bushes that fringed the more wooded area of the park caught his attention. Harry was alert to any animals that were serious competition to the meager rations that he was living on and relaxed slightly when he saw that it was a girl who was probably about his own age. She was desperately trying to be invisible but still occasionally peeked out from around the bush she was hiding to stare at him eating.

Harry would have dismissed the girl with bushy brown hair, but what caught his attention was the state of her clothes which were in a state that if not worse than his own were very close to drop off any moment. If the girl was any older, she would have had a very tough time in protecting herself in such a state. What moved Harry though was the distinct look of longing in her eyes when she caught sight of Harry eating the bread. The girl was desperately trying to prevent herself from showing a weakness but food was a powerful motivator. Licking her lips at even the thought of food in her hands and the slight drool that was threatening to form at the corner of her mouth motivated Harry to take a step that would change not only his but also the girl's life forever.

Harry could not explain why he felt compassion towards that person, an emotion that was so alien to him in his short but very troubled life. Maybe because she was a girl or because he was in a position to do her some good, he did not know, but Harry beckoned her to join him at the tree.

The girl was surprised at the invitation and was also a little frightened. Her recent experience taught her to be wary of anyone that was in a position to help you; they needed, no demanded something in return and it did not end in any good for her. Her carefully constructed defenses crumbled though as her stomach overrode her brain, besides the boy somehow felt safe and so she dashed out of her hiding place. She nearly ate dust instead, in her hurry to reach Harry she tripped over an exposed root and barely managed to steady herself.

Harry gestured the girl to sit on the ground beside him and she obliged after dropping her overly large backpack in front of her and next to Harry's own. Harry held the loaf of bread he was eating from, with his teeth and started rooting around in his backpack. If Harry was to somehow separate his legs from his body, he would have fit snugly into the bag he had, it was that big and he was small enough for that to happen. Though it was cumbersome to carry, he needed the space the backpack provided as everything in the bag was all that he could say was his own or needed.

The girl's heart nearly sank when Harry did not partake of his bread loaf with her but she immediately dismissed any ungrateful thoughts she might have had when she saw a complete loaf in Harry's hand. She almost lunged forward and snatched the bread from Harry and it was hardly a few seconds before her slightly larger front teeth were sinking into the bread. She tore a large chunk and was eagerly stuffing it into her mouth.

Harry was more experienced in not only making any meager rations last long but also how to handle food on an empty stomach. He gently placed his hand on her arm so as to not frighten her and slowly pushed it down, "You have to take it slow and chew your food properly if you are eating something after a few days of not eating."

The girl immediately slowed down and put the loaf of bread in her hand down on her lap and took time to chew properly. This also gave her time to thank her companion, "Thank you, it has been two days since I ate last."

"I thought so."

She immediately extended her hand after rubbing it on her tattered gown, "I am Hermione Granger and I am seven."

Harry grasped her hand after mimicking her actions to get his hands free of any dirt or food, "Hello Hermione, I am seven too and my name is Harry" then scratching his head gave her a grimace before continuing, "at least I think so. I have only been called boy or freak."

Hermione gave him a sympathetic smile before picking her food again and they both fell silent just exchanging occasional toothy smiles while finishing every morsel. She leaned back against the tree beside Harry with the feeling of a full stomach after many days.

Hermione wanted to know more about Harry but was afraid to insult or hurt the boy who had given her food. She wanted to ask him for help and if she could stay with him and go where ever he went. It was clear that Harry did not have a place to live and he was also living on the streets like she was forced to do. Hermione had been only two days out of the awful orphanage but she was beginning to understand the difficulties ahead of her and was frightened to be on her own. The backpack that she was carrying had all that she owned, two frocks which were in slightly better condition than the one she was currently wearing and a blanket that was more holes than cloth which she 'liberated' from the afore mentioned place.

Before Hermione could verbalize her thoughts though, Harry picked himself up and taking a couple of plastic bottles which have seen better days, walked towards the public water tap installed in the park. After drinking his fill, he filled them up and returned back to the tree to put them away in his bag while Hermione had a turn at the water.

It was starting to get dark and hoisting his bag onto his back Harry began leading the way, "Come on Hermione, I want to get back to the place where I found these bread loaves. The baker was throwing them away and I begged for a couple of them. Since they were already wrapped in plastic, they should be OK unless some dogs got to them first."

The anticipation of getting her hands on more food propelled Hermione forward and was eager to follow her new found friend. Now that they were both standing, she was surprised to find that Harry was much smaller than her both in height as well as weight. She was by no means tall, but the healthy living with her parents before being put into the orphanage made sure that she met the required height and weight of a healthy seven year old. The two months that she spent at the orphanage were tough on her but it looked like Harry was much worse off, probably not even getting enough to eat.

Harry quickly found the bakery and the discarded loaves in the rubbish bin too. Without any ceremony he picked out four of the well wrapped up loaves and began stuffing them into his and Hermione's backpacks.

"Don't you want to take more Harry?"

"No Hermione, they will be useless after tomorrow. That is the reason that they were thrown away. They are beginning to get spoiled."

Hermione accepted his explanation without any question; he was probably more knowledgeable in these matters than her anyway. They began walking away from the rubbish pile when a nearby grocer took pity on them and called them over.

"Hey kids! Here take this" he handed them a cloth bag and opening it they found half a dozen apples. The fruit was already ripe and was going to get spoilt by the next day, and as it was no one was going to buy them from him in that state.

Thanking the shopkeeper profusely Harry began dragging Hermione away. She began to panic at the desperation that Harry was showing to get away from that place. Turning a few corners and away from the town Harry began slowing down a little, he had still to let go of Hermione's hand though.

"Usually, by this time the adults begin to call the police about children who are on their own" he said as an explanation for his actions.

Harry's explanation increased Hermione's fears and she began matching Harry's fast paced walk as they put some much needed distance between themselves and the town. It was beginning to get dark very fast and they could barely see any more and Harry began looking for a place to crash for the night. There was also a hint of rain in the air and he wanted something that would keep them dry.

To his enormous relief, they could see a low bridge as part of a highway than spanned a depression in the ground. Underneath the bridge the entire area was cemented and though not closed off, would protect them from any rain. It was also just high enough for them to stand without their heads bumping the roof.

The floor was clean enough so they sat down to recover their breath. Harry took out a couple of the apples from the bag, and passing one to Hermione began biting into the tasty fruit savouring the sweetness and the liquid delight.

Hermione started the conversation that she desperately wanted to go her way, "Harry, I am sorry if I am a burden to you, but can I come with you wherever you are going? I do not have anyone else in this world and I did not like the orphanage that I was put in" she was desperately trying to stem the tears that threatened to break out. If Harry refused to let her accompany him then she did not have any idea what she would do and she was terrified.

Harry gave her a small smile to placate her fears but had a word of caution, "I do not have a home Hermione" he got a nod of her head in reply as she guessed that, "I also did not like my guardians and ran away from them. I read about living in the wild and that is what I am planning to do, I want to go to the mountains and live there until I am old enough not to be questioned about my age."

Hermione brightened at that, "Can I come too? I promise that I will try my best to help you and will not be a burden. I do not know what I will do otherwise" she was nearly pleading with him now.

Giving her hand a gently squeeze Harry agreed to that but still had a warning, "It is not going to be easy Hermione, there will be dangers around."

"Harry meeting you and spending this short amount of time with you gave me the most amount of happiness after the death of my parents. It almost felt like I could face any danger with you by my side, at least I will not suffer the indignity of beatings and begging for more food."

Harry did something that he never though he will do, he hugged a girl and surprisingly it felt nice. Maybe it was because this girl faced almost the same tribulations as he did or maybe it was something else, he did not know, but he knew that he would like to hug her again. Unknown to both of the kids, that hug preluded the start of something magical even in the world of magic.

It was completely dark now and emptying their bladders a little distance away, began to get ready for bed. Harry took out a thick flattened cardboard box from his backpack and spread it out on the floor keeping a little space between the cold wall and the board.

"I just have one of this card boards to sleep on Hermione. It may be a little too small for both of us" Harry told her as he began emptying his bag of two shirts, a spare shorts and an old but still usable blanket.

Hermione looked a little skeptical at sleeping on the cold floor, "Can't we open the two halves and spread it out more?"

"Oh No Hermione, if we use only a single layer, it gets very uncomfortable to sleep on and also the cold seeps in very easily. Don't worry we can share the same thing; we will have to sleep a little closer though. Now do you have any blanket or clothes in your bag?"

Sleeping in the company of a stranger and that too a boy would normally have freaked out Hermione, but she felt safe in Harry's company and so agreed easily. Harry spread his blanket in half over the cardboard before arranging his extra shirts and shorts to cover most of the blanket. He did the same with Hermione's dresses before putting her tattered blanket on top to hold them together. Harry gently lifted one corner of the blanket and settled onto one end of the cardboard mattress. They could see that there was not much space left for Hermione, but she had no inhibitions in snuggling into Harry. They shared a shy smile before settling in properly and he used his free hand to cover them both with his improvised duvet. Though they were sharing something which could not even remotely be called a bed they oddly felt comfortable and warm. It was not very cold outside but sharing their body heat gave them extra warmth and preserved some of their energy.

As he promised her earlier, Harry began narrating his story.

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_**A glimpse into Harry Potter's life**_

"I was apparently left on the doorstep of my remaining relatives. I do not know for sure but I think that she is my aunt as I often used to hear the words 'your freak of a nephew' from the walrus of a man who I used to call Uncle." Snuggling into Harry, Hermione giggled softly imagining a walrus dressed in a business suit and going to office with a briefcase.

"According to them, my parents died in an accident and I survived with just this scar on my forehead." Again Hermione just nodded into his chest, she had seen it before and was loath to move her head from the comfortable perch on Harry's chest.

"As long as I remembered I was cooking, cleaning, and working from dawn to dusk for them often being reminded that I was a waste of space and that I should be thankful for their generosity. I was just four when I made my first breakfast. I was really surprised that they even took care of me till I could manage to hold the pan; I guess the incentive of a free servant was too good to be ignored."

Tears were threatening to break free from Hermione as she continued to hear the atrocities committed on a four year old and that too by his blood relations. She was not really surprised by the blood relations part as she herself was on the receiving end of her own aunt's 'generosity' but it was not such a torture for her.

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Four year old Harry Potter became an expert at cooking a feast consisting of eggs, bacon, sausage and toast that went as breakfast in the Dursley household. The amount of food cooked in the morning was enough to satisfy six people's appetite but was just enough for the three Dursleys. Even then Harry barely escaped from getting rapped on his knuckles or his head for trumped up charges of runny eggs or under cooked bacon.

All Harry got was a couple of slices of toast that he fried in the fat remaining on the pan. On bad days even that was snatched out of his fingers by his cousin Dudley Dursley and all that he got was a couple of cold bread slices that he managed to snatch before his aunt Petunia managed to lock the remaining loaf inside the cabinet or the refrigerator.

Lunch was usually a similar affair with Harry getting the left over scraps after Petunia and Dudley demolished the meal. Afternoon was spent cleaning around the house, gardening or dodging Dudley's attempts to use him as a punching bag while his aunt spent time gossiping with her friends under the guise of intellectual discussions.

All the reward that Harry ever needed or wanted was a pat on his back or a hug for his efforts but all he got was a rap on his head with a frying pan or thwack on his back with the meaty hand of Vernon Dursley or his belt. Harry's attempts and desire to please his relatives was very often exploited by his relatives to obtain sadistic pleasure and see the boy squirm with pain to be thrown into his bedroom, a broom cupboard under the stairs.

During the days that Harry was left alone in the house due to an excursion planned by his relatives, he was rendered to a mindless drone having to clean all around the house and the bathrooms even if they were spotless due to his earlier efforts.

On one such Saturday, Harry saw that the kitchen cabinets were unlocked. He was grateful that his aunt remembered about his lunch and so made himself a simple sandwich and enjoyed a sumptuous meal by his paltry standards. That day he put in extra effort to make the house spotless. When his aunt and uncle returned from their outing instead of the expected praise he got an extra thorough beating where his uncle even broke in his new belt. It took him a couple of such beatings to understand that his relatives deliberately left the cabinets open to tempt him and then brand him as a thief.

Unfortunately or miraculously, depending on how you look at it, Harry's injuries used to get cured overnight and sometimes even without a bruise being left on his body. This only prompted his uncle to gleefully increase the frequency and intensity of his treatment to try and beat the 'unnaturalness' out of him.

All the inhabitants of Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey saw the ragamuffin kid as a criminal and did their best to protect their daughters from. Vernon was cleaver enough to hit Harry in such a way so that none of his bruises were visible to everyone and so was easily able to maintain his ruse of a well-respected business man doing his best to not only give a home to his vagabond nephew but also to bring him to respectability.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Harry crossed six, his aunt got a brilliant idea to reduce their cost in feeding Harry. Their son who was attending the local primary school for one year told them the news that their school was providing free lunch for the students.

"Vernon, this is the best way to get rid of an extra mouth to feed. Get him into that school on a scholarship for poor students and let them worry about feeding him; I am not going to give him breakfast too."

Harry found that he loved reading and learning very quickly and tried to spend as much time as he could in classes. His teachers were amazed at the speed and enthusiasm Harry showed during his classes and did their best to encourage him.

While Harry was excelling in his studies, Dudley was the unofficial school bully. Unofficial because everyone knew his treatment of the younger kids but his dad's money ensured that the complaining parents were placated one way or the other. Even at school, Harry continued to be Dudley's punching bag with only a small variation; he took care so that none of the injuries that Harry got were visible outward.

Lunch at the school was a very boisterous occasion with nearly two hundred children all below ten years congregating to satisfy their hunger. Dudley and his gang were usually the first to reach the lunch line and if they were not, made sure that they were the first by pushing the others out of the line. Harry was soon acquainted with the first of the golden rules he himself coined when it concerned food and eating, if you have it in your hands do not take any time to devour it. Harry being quite shy and unwilling to push anyone around was usually left at the end of the line. By the time he got his plate, Dudley finished his and would grab Harry's and so Harry became the proponent of the rare art of eating on the run.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry was quickly promoted to Dudley's class much to the consternation of the Dursleys and the final straw for them was the news that Harry would be promoted yet again early January when the school would open after Christmas holidays, making him Dudley's senior and resulted in a tantrum of epic proportion from his whale of a cousin. That put paid to Harry's schooling and was almost out of everyone's sight being denied the chance of even going out into the front yard.

March was 'memorable' in more than one ways as he was left alone for more than a week in an empty house with little food or money while his relatives went to enjoy their time in Ireland as part of Dudley's birthday celebrations. Harry managed to last the small amount of food for the first few days of the week. Starving for more than a couple of days after he ate the pitiful rations left for him, Harry managed to grab at a packet of food that dropped out of a neighbour's bag and was left behind. Despite his strict moral values, his rumbling stomach overrode his pride and Harry began stuffing the burgers into his famished body.

That was when Harry was able to coin his second rule where it concerned food and eating; if you have not eaten before for some days, then take some time to devour it. He was reacquainted with all the food that he ate when his stomach rebelled due to all the unaccustomed food and he vomited his stomach contents in a corner of his cupboard.

Fighting the overpowering fumes of the putrid contents, Harry finally fell asleep. The next day was spent in cleaning his cupboard out and disinfecting it before doing it for the whole house on his aunt's orders.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A week after they returned from their outing, Vernon got home punch drunk but he was remarkably coherent especially when he saw Harry. Immediately he raged at Harry, "You freak! You did something to make me lose my contract." Anyone would have easily understood that it would have been his own inefficiency and not the small boy that resulted in his loss, especially when the boy was being confined to the house. But Vernon Dursley did not need any reason to vent his rage on the emaciated boy, how was he going to not use this occasion as an added incentive.

Vernon was nearly purple in his anger and began loosening his belt. Harry knew that he was in for a very painful night but still steeled himself to avoid showing any weakness to his delighted relatives. But when his uncle dropped his pants and stood in his boxers right there in the living room, Harry's heart nearly reached the pit of his stomach and he instinctively knew this was different.

Harry tried to bolt away from his uncle and reach the sanctuary of his cupboard but his aunt was quicker as she grabbed him by his waist and nearly threw him onto the floor. The unexpected shock was enough to subdue him and Harry's terrified screams were easily drowned by the noise from the television.

"Dudley! Go to your room" Petunia commanded.

Dudley never considered himself to be an obedient child and he was not going to start now especially when his cousin was going to get something new done to him. He now sported a predatory smile on his face, "No Mum! I want to see what Dad's going to do. I can do it to the freak the next time."

Petunia did not bother to argue with her son, she knew that they could never get him to do what they wanted, not that she was overly concerned about Dudley. Her entire focus and strength was being used up in keeping her nephew subdued.

When his uncle had a very ugly smirk on his face and was in the act of dropping his boxers too, Harry was now on the verge of a panic attack. The only thing going through his mind repeatedly was 'Have to get away from them, need to stay safe'. Harry felt some invisible force building up inside him starting from near his heart. He had no clue what was going on within him but he suddenly felt as if he was in control, safe, and powerful. In a rush, the energy left out of the small body and blew Harry's relatives away from him only to be stopped painfully by the walls of the house and rendered unconscious.

Harry Potter disappeared from Number 4 Privet Drive with a small pop and appeared in a small abandoned field a few miles North West of London. The traumatic events of the night and the invisible energy that helped him escape drained Harry like never before and before he could even rejoice, he succumbed to the weariness and fell asleep in the gathering dusk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Waking up the next day, Harry's stomach reminded him that he had not eaten the entire day before. He began foraging for something to eat but could not find anything nearby and without any money to his name he feared that he was going to meet a very sticky end. Even that felt nice to him as he would be able to escape his hellish life and meet his parents.

He read about the mountains and wild lands in Wales and his many nights of escape plans featured them heavily. He picked himself and decided to head northwest where he was sure the mountains would be. He thankfully found a cottage and the family took pity on him and provided a hearty breakfast. Thanking the many gods and also his hosts, Harry eagerly ate the meal and started his trek before they could ask him uncomfortable details.

Whenever he could, Harry used to raid the rubbish bins or discarded piles of clothing for something that would fit him or for blankets that would give him a modicum of protection from the nightly air that was soon to get chilly. Without shoes his feet began to blister very soon and a few days later he was very lucky to find a family discarding their son's pair which he immediately begged for himself. Harry put his enormous skills in doing chores around the house and also in the garden to help around the various cottages and farms that he crossed during his trek. In turn he only asked for a few coins or a bite to eat, whatever else he might have done to put together a living, Harry never lowered himself to steal.

Working his way North West skirting Cassington, Long Hanborough and Combe to name a few places, Harry worked when he could and hunted the bins when he had to. Harry managed to put together a wardrobe of a couple of decent shirts, shorts and even a blanket from hunting rubbish piles near farm houses at night. He even succeeded to snag a couple of pairs of trainers one of which was slightly larger than his feet which he decided to keep with him in case the ones he was wearing get too small when he finally grew bigger.

He did not dare to stay at any of the towns for more than a day or two for fear of being returned to his despicable relatives by any resident who took pity on him. His emaciated condition did not help matters further as he had to rest frequently during the walk to gain his strength. He however put all his strength while working to earn or buy his food.

Harry never knew his birthday and so July 31st was spent on an empty stomach gazing at the endless starry sky under a tree and planning for his next possible meal. Nearly five months after he left his relatives house, Harry found himself with his first friend in one Hermione Granger at Uckinghall.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione could not stop the tears that were flowing freely during the tale and even though they were soaking his shirt, Harry felt a lot better than he ever remembered. It was probably the result of sharing his burden with someone or just the thought of a companion in his troubles, but Harry had a small smile at the end of his tale.

Hermione just kissed Harry on the cheek from the prone position while tightening her hold around his midriff and snuggled deeper into him. Harry managed to free his trapped arm and held her close and they quickly fell asleep. Sometime during the night Harry woke up to find that it began to rain and the air was getting cold. Using his free hand he adjusted the 'blanket' around them snugly so that they do not feel the cold. Hermione just stirred in her sleep and only burrowed more into Harry with her head on his chest, probably her idea of fighting the cold. Harry could only smile at her and quickly followed Hermione into sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 4**

The next morning Hermione woke up to see that she was practically lying on a boy and her eyes met the most mesmerizing pair of green eyes she ever saw. She nearly panicked at the thought of offending her new friend and savior even, but the cheerful "Good Morning" from Harry put her at ease. They reveled in the warmth and closeness of each other just lying prone there under the bridge even the slightly uncomfortable cardboard below them did nothing to dampen the feeling. Harry never had physical contact that was comforting to him and so craved for the contact with Hermione and reveled in the warmth of her hug. While Hermione was used to love and caring from her parents, the past few months were particularly hard on her as unlike Harry she was used to the comforts of a loving home. Due to this she also enjoyed the security and compassion that Harry was giving her.

Harry was very happy with their sleeping arrangement but had more pressing matters to attend to. Gently shaking Hermione to get her attention he said, "Um Hermione, I would also like to continue this but…" he blushed slightly at this, "I have to… you know… go…"

Hermione was confused for a split second but her body reminded her that she also had to … you know…, go. So she also blushed at that and quickly got up and gave Harry a hand at packing their meager possessions away into the two backpacks. Harry was not ready to leave anything out and risk losing them if they had to leave that place quickly; living on the streets on his own taught him that.

The rain was heavier now and it was really difficult to see further than a few meters. "I also have to take a bath; I do not want to waste the opportunity that the rain has given us. Besides I feel filthy" he grinned at Hermione.

Hermione also thought that it was a good idea as she was also in need of a good scrubbing. She also wanted to get rid of the dress she was wearing; she did not want to have any remainders of the place that was more frightening than the worst of her nightmares. Harry quickly persuaded her not to; the frock could be added to their blankets when the weather became cold, after a thorough wash of course.

Harry took out two pieces of cloth which were once someone's handkerchiefs and giving one to Hermione, undressed quickly. She followed his actions and they moved a little distance away from the bridge to finish their morning ablutions. Harry finished his bath under the sky and saw that Hermione was struggling with her hair which was unbelievably knotted. Moving to her, Harry used his nimble fingers to untangle her hair and straighten it out. Even that very mundane act pleased him a lot as Harry felt happy in the knowledge of having a friend and hopefully for a long time too as Hermione wanted to accompany him to the mountains.

When Hermione saw Harry using his finger to clean his teeth, she could not help tearing up. Harry was alarmed and wanted to know if she was hurt but her explanation of "my parents were dentists" did nothing to quell his distress. He drew her into his arms and hugged Hermione till she could compose herself. Thankfully the children did not have any inhibitions about hugging a naked girl or boy, that would come with age but due to their closeness and the life they would eventually lead they would never have such inhibitions.

After removing the dirt off their used clothes by washing them in the rain, the two dried themselves using a blanket and spread the wet clothes to dry. They agreed to share a single loaf of bread and save the other for the night, having no idea when they could find food next, they wanted to ensure that whatever they had lasted long.

In between bites of the bread and an apple, Hermione shared her life with Harry.

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_**The not so stellar tale of Hermione Granger**_

The family of three, two parents who had their own very successful dental practice and a little girl of six were returning from the zoo after a day of fun and frolic. Hermione Granger was in heaven, she spent the whole day with her parents away from all the taunting and harassment of her so called friends at primary school and even without her beloved books, she had a day of fun.

Being the only child of a couple who were quickly reaching their forties, Hermione was showered with love and though not pampered, felt like a princess. Like her parents who were respected in their profession, Hermione loved reading and books were her best friends and gradually became a very safe option unlike the other kids at school who liked to make fun of her wild hair and slightly larger front teeth. Her parents gave her whatever she asked, which surprisingly, was never more than a couple of books that caught Hermione's fancy.

That Saturday evening when dusk was gathering on Crawley, the family was happily basking in a warmth of familial love and everything was perfect in Hermione's little world. However, that world soon turned upside down when another car jumped the stop light and rammed head on into the Granger's car while taking a turn on green. All the three Grangers were knocked out due to the accident.

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Waking up in a children's hospital in London after nearly two weeks, Hermione soon found out that not only her parents were dead but she could not even see them for the last time at their funeral which was already over, due to her being in an induced coma. Her aunt Maggie Granger was in a hurry to lay them to rest and was not even prepared to wait for her niece to be healed enough to see them off. Apparently her aunt was not ready to bear the extra costs of keeping the bodies preserved for such a long time. Hermione could only cry in earnest at the shocking news and had to be put in a drugged sleep to prevent her injuries from worsening.

Hermione was left to rehabilitate for a couple of months more under Her Majesty's care as she was still a minor and the injuries were a result of an accident. She knew that her father had enough money to take care of her, but any help would be good as she now had to save that money till she could get a job and earn her own living which was quite a long way away. The doctors told her that she would be placed in her aunt, Maggie Granger's care. Hermione never liked her aunt as she knew that Maggie was jealous of her brother's wealth but Hermione never considered her to be evil. 'At least when her relatives were concerned and it was better to be in her company than being confined to an orphanage' Hermione thought.

On the day of her discharge from the hospital, Hermione was holding a backpack that contained two of her new frocks and her favourite teddy bear, fighting the tears that threatened to spill out of her eyes. She was dreading meeting her aunt and her two cousins who were older than her and were more interested in dress up dolls rather than books. Growing up, she was never comfortable in their presence and overheard her father complaining about the greed of one Maggie Granger. Too soon for her comfort, her aunt was there and with a plastered smile that was clearly a fake said, "Come on girl, I will take you to your home."

While Hermione was usually not very comfortable with anyone other than her parents, she would have appreciated a hug to alleviate some of the pain in her heart but only felt an unusual dread leaving the hospital and feared that her freedom was clipped.

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Instead of driving to their home at Birmingham, Hermione was dropped off at an orphanage in Bishop's Cleeve and all of Hermione's fears came true. She however was not prepared for the shock when she learned that the place was not really an orphanage but a front to traffickers and that she was sold off for a measly sum of five hundred pounds. She was thankfully too young to be of no other use than as a manual laborer. While she was destined to work her innocence away, her aunt would reap the benefits from the maintenance fund in Hermione's name and get her mitts on her inheritance in due course.

Every morning after a paltry breakfast of dried bread and milk, the children were shipped to various locations alternating between five of them so that none of the kids get familiarized with the route or the surroundings and attempt to escape. Hermione was usually sent to a smelting unit at Cheltenham where her time was spent in lugging heavy metal junk around where it was melted down and converted to trinkets.

Within a few minutes, Hermione's hands were blistered with the unaccustomed work and the heat of the furnace. Every whimper or protest was answered by a knock on the head or back and she very quickly learned to clamp her teeth down on her lips to prevent any sound from escaping her. Working from eight in the morning to eight in the evening with only half an hour break to gobble down stale bread, some meat and water, also made sure that none of the children had any energy to even lift their heads.

After a quick and not anywhere near filling dinner, Hermione succumbed to the blissful sleep that the weary limbs and throbbing body brought about.

The girl who prided herself in her intelligence and hard work at school decided to use them for getting out of the hell that was the orphanage. She learnt very quickly that the guards were a little lenient on those who did not protest at their handling and she made sure never to do that. The endless days of observing and contemplation did not bring any solace to the little girl, the security was very tight and all the guards were very good at their work. Deceiving them to escape was not going to be easy and certainly not during the day.

Hermione's birthday on July 31st brought only a single change to her nightly routine. She included a plea in her prayer before bed to take her away from the place, even if she had to go to the place where her parents were, she would be happier than her present living. She had no more tears to cry.

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Finally on August 15th Hermione decided that she suffered enough and it was time to take the plunge and try to escape. If she got caught she could always beg them to kill her off.

Waiting in the darkness of the dormitory was very easy as she was too excited and terrified at the same time to fall asleep. When it was past midnight and she was sure that everyone would be asleep, Hermione stood up from the lower part of the bunk bed she was sharing. Her backpack contained the two extra frocks she had as her only other possession which was her first teddy bear was confiscated. She decided to get her money back and took the threadbare cloth that went in the name of a blanket and put it in her backpack.

Opening the door carefully Hermione snuck out of the room onto the landing. Looking over the railing she saw that the night guard was sitting under a lamp and was engrossed in a book. She was slightly relieved that if she was silent she may be able to sneak past him to the door as being in the light the guard's eyes would not be able to see easily into the shadows where she would make sure to be.

With only the thought of 'please don't let him see me' repeatedly going on in her mind, Hermione snuck down the stairs and was thankful that she was on all fours and was easily able to negotiate the creaking step. Unknown to her she was really invisible to anyone, her innate ability disillusioned her, a trick which she would learn to do consciously later in life.

Breathing a sigh of relief once she made her way out of the building and around the block, Hermione ran like she never did before. She was never an active person but the desperate situation put speed in her legs and after more than five hours of running and walking with occasional stops to catch her breath, Hermione decided that she put enough distance for the time. The sun was starting to rise and with no water and also her being too weak due to lack of good food was tired to the point where she just wanted to drop down and fall asleep.

It was also imperative that she find some place to hide as the morning light would give her away easily and now that she had tasted freedom, did not need that. Slowing down Hermione took the time to look around and an abandoned irrigation ditch looked promising. The ditch was nearly overgrown with grass and some wild bushes. Pulling a few handfuls of the tall grass and lying close to the bushes covered herself with the grass and making herself as small and inconspicuous as she could, fell into an exhausted sleep.

It was nearing dusk when she woke up; probably the chilly air was more to blame. Taking time to look around and spying none waiting for her, Hermione set of again without a particular destination in mind only the desperate need to put some distance between herself and the orphanage.

Two days later and into the evening, Hermione found herself in the small town of Uckinghall. She was dirty, hungry and parched and was not making much effort to be unnoticed. Her hunger was driving her to unconsciousness and she was contemplating if she should beg for some food. The only reason stopping her was the chance of someone calling the police and she would be returned back to her aunt and then to the place that went by the name of an orphanage. If things continued this way Hermione thought that she might have to take the option of going back to the life of labour and later on as a flesh slave or dying of hunger.

More importantly she needed some water for her dry throat or she may never able to get anything to go down that route. It was when she was walking near a park that she saw the public water tap and had her fill of the sweet water. She felt a little better, at least not on the verge of unconsciousness and decided she could wait a few more hours if needed before food became absolutely necessary. Perhaps she could try her hand at the diners or at the stores and pilfer some food during the night.

Hermione was startled by a sound and fearing the worst ducked behind the nearest bush. They were not too tall and were grouped together and so she was confident that she would not be noticed so easily. Spying around the bush Hermione saw a boy with messy black hair settling beside a tree. He could not be much older than her or even younger looking at the small stature. The torn and dirty clothes told their own story; the boy was probably like her, an orphan and making his own way in the harsh world. She was contemplating a way to get out of the park when a delightful sight froze her.

The boy was digging into a bread loaf as if there was no tomorrow. All her carefully constructed plans of braving the night without food were thrown to the wind and her stomach nearly growled out loud at the sight of food. Hermione nearly squeaked in surprise when the boy called her to him and gestured at the food. She was in heaven and hunger overrode caution, but incredibly the boy felt 'safe'. Hermione nearly tripped and fell down in her eagerness to eat but managed to maintain as much dignity as the filthy clothes and muddy hair allowed her, as she walked towards salvation.

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Hearing her sad story, Harry felt a kinship towards Hermione that he never felt with anyone before and silently vowed that he would do his best to protect her. It was now his turn to hug her tight and console the fresh tears the recital brought forth from Hermione's eyes. The viciousness in their treatment by those considered to be family and guardians cemented the fledging fear of living in a society that did nothing to help them. Harry and Hermione now considered themselves to be family for each other and further increased their determination to seek shelter in the wild lands and mountains, away from organized society and people.

The rain abated sometime during Hermione's story and they decided to move, especially as they were still near Bishop's Cleeve and they quickly packed away their still wet clothes. They had two backpacks now and so quickly used one of that to hold all the wet clothes and blanket along with the heavier water bottle, which Harry swung onto his back.

Noticing that Hermione was wearing a pair of sandals that were barely holding together, Harry gave her one of the pairs of trainers he had with him and was a good enough fit for her.

"We will be walking a lot and you will get injured without good shoes" was his response to her protests. "Oh! We have to work together for everything Hermione; whatever I have or find I will share with you and hope that you will do the same. That is the only way we can survive this, by helping each other." He was glad that Hermione quickly agreed to his logic and promised to share everything with him. Their mutual promise was monumental in that it laid the very foundation of not only their lives but also for safeguarding the entire British wizarding world.


	5. Chapter 5

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 5**

Harry was aware that they have to travel in a vaguely North-Westerly direction and he felt that it was enough for him. Hermione however thought that it was best to have a map as it would help them from straying whenever they would come across a town they could identify on it. So despite all their morals about not stealing, they were forced to nick a modest map from the library at Tewkesbury and hoping that no one would corner them, skedaddled out of the town at the earliest opportunity.

The going however, was not easy for them. The summer months turned cold with heavy rains leaving them mostly wet, shivering and hungry. Harry and Hermione were forced to seek shelter most of the time to prevent themselves from falling sick in the harsh weather, a feat that was not easy when you want to avoid unnecessary human contact. It was inevitable that their route of travel was decided on available sources of food or work to buy their food and so visible landmarks like cottages or farmhouses were their destination rather than the shortest route shown on the map. The two children avoided large towns whenever they could but had to venture into them looking for work after a day of going without food.

They worked whenever work was available to them and used any money they earned for buying food that would last longer without being spoilt and so they settled on canned and preserved food material. They still rummaged rubbish piles for clothing and whatever was useful in their day to day existence concentration on heavy winter needs. Fresh food was always welcome but Harry was not shy to dig into garbage piles for whatever looked hygienic to be eaten. With winter approaching most of the farmhouses or country houses that Harry and Hermione approached were closing down their activities and could not spare much for the two and so scavenging rubbish piles for food occurred in much more frequency than Hermione liked.

Even though they were tempted to use the few cans of stew or succulent pineapple chunks that they had with them, Harry was determined to hold out as long as was possible. He knew that when the first frost appears on the ground, they would have to seek a secure shelter and that would curtail the time they could spend looking for food. The biggest problem that they faced was finding such a place to hole out for the winter, preferably with a steady supply of food. Neither Harry not Hermione knew where to find one, dreading the day they could not avoid.

It was surprising for both that they were able to survive with such meager rations they were on, even forgoing food for a couple of days. Harry knew from the little time he spent in school and Hermione was sure that kids at their age needed a healthy meal three times a day to sustain their growth and development. They were thankful that whatever it was helping them to survive was doing its job perfectly and they left it at that without any means to further investigate.

What they did not know was that the sparse food they were consuming was used to fuel their magical core rather than being used directly to nourish their bodies. Their magical core, which in children generally was dormant till the age of ten, was woken from its slumber rather harshly, and was gaining power at a rapid rate. Converting the food into pure energy and then its rapid assimilation into Harry and Hermione's magical core ensured that the core was sufficiently powered to sustain their bodies. Therefore, instead of the usual quantities of food required by children daily, Harry and Hermione could survive on very little food. The drawback for them was that their magical core was purely on a survival instinct and could not fuel their physical growth. They both would remain scrawny, small and undernourished for their age for the next few years before they could reach their full potential.

As the saying goes, 'Time and tide wait for no one' and August, September and October faded away into November. Harry and Hermione's small world was beginning to be very difficult with the drop in temperature every night. They took to sleeping while cuddling naked as they found out that sharing body heat was an effective way to ward of the chill even if they had a fire burning near them, besides the clothes would make an extra layer to their makeshift duvet or mattress. With every day that passed, Hermione's fear of going to a homeless shelter or worse, an orphanage to tide over the winter increased, knowing for sure that Harry and she may never be able to escape form such a place again. Even with the bleak outlook she held the hope that her friend would find a way to help them escape that possibility.

Traveling through Tewkesbury, Twyning and Malvern Harry and Hermione reached about 4 miles South-West of Great Malvern during late November and another change was on the horizon.

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_**Home of the Lovegood family**_

_**5 miles South-West of Great Malvern, Late November**_

Meanwhile in small country house, an event that would fulfill the requirements of the prophecy given out by _Laya_ was about to occur. The lady of the house Mrs. Celeste Lovegood was working to finish her mastery in potions. Her attempts to gain her mastery right out of school was cut short when she became pregnant with her beautiful daughter Luna. Now with Luna being seven years old she finished her research on modification of 'Wolfsbane' potion to reduce the pain during werewolf transformation. The headmaster of Hogwarts witchcraft and wizardry professor Albus Dumbledore sent the resident potions master and professor Severus Snape to evaluate her work and offer any help before presenting it to the examination board.

"Well done Mrs. Lovegood, the addition of dried Swordfish Weevils to the existing potion was a remarkable idea. I have to say that it was a very bold modification, one that could have been disastrous" words of praise from the sour man were like gold. The potions professor had to give out the due recognition due to the simply brilliant use of a very volatile ingredient.

The Swordfish Weevils in their natural form contained volatile oils that could end up in an explosive mixture and flatten most houses, regardless of the potion it was added to. Celeste perfected a process of drying under a filter that would screen all the sun's radiation except the ultraviolet light resulting in perfectly dried Weevils for her work. If the potions professor was jealous, he hid well. The man was known for a ruthless streak when it came to formulating new potions and Celeste was careful not to give out all her secrets. However, she made the fundamental mistake of not hiding the drying process form the professor and as knowledgeable as he was at potions, that was enough.

"Thank you professor, coming from you that is a very good commendation indeed. Do you think that the examination board would grant me the mastery?" Celeste was ecstatic. She worked hard for the modification which was surprisingly very difficult. The 'Wolfsbane' was a very complex potion requiring a myriad of ingredients that needed to be added at precise junctures during the brewing process and the thought of adding dried Weevils was a stroke of genius if she may say so herself.

Severus Snape gave a grudging nod of his head barely able to suppress the sneer on his face, his mind furiously working on ways to garner the credit for himself. "I have no doubt madam, if you can show that the potion retained all its intended effects while enhancing the benefits to the werewolf you have a winner. The examination board would need documented evidence if not a live demonstration though" he concluded. Snape knew that any potion that can better the life of a wizard or witch would not only enhance the reputation of a potions master but also generate a lot of gold.

His praise impressed Celeste Lovegood and he could see that she was jubilant and therefore distracted. Taking a chance Severus Snape grabbed a handful of the still fresh Swordfish Weevils kept for drying and dumped them into a nearby cauldron. The potion was on a simmer, not that he cared for the identity of the potion that was being brewed, and the low flame would give him a few minutes to depart without raising undue suspicion. He thought that he had maybe ten to fifteen minutes and so made a hasty but graceful exit from the house.

The Lovegood family was rumored to be descendants of Helga Hufflepuff one of the four founders of Hogwarts. With the Potter brat, the acknowledged heir of Godric Gryffindor missing and hopefully killed by his vile relatives and if he could get rid of the Lovegood family, there would be only one of the founder's heirs left, his master Lord Voldemort, the heir of Salazar Slytherin. Everyone knew that Rowena Ravenclaw's line died a few centuries ago and his action would now ensure that his master would be unhindered to take control of Hogwarts upon his return. Hogwarts was important as it was not only the seat of learning for the next generation of witches and wizards, but the castle itself was imbued in magic giving the controller of the castle unlimited power albeit within its grounds. Control of such a vast number of future adults was needed for anyone wishing to rule the magical world and Snape was prepared to do everything needed to ensure that his master would be the one. The simple matter of a just reward might have also spurred him on but that was insignificant compared to the power and prestige he would get upon his master's return.

Snape reached the end of the ward line and cast a powerful suppression ward over the entire property. The ward would deactivate any alarms that were bound to be activated and alert the ministry of magic, in case of emergencies at the house. Smirking at his handiwork, Severus Snape disapperated quietly, it would do him no good to be found anywhere near the house in case his ward failed.

Meanwhile inside the house Celeste Lovegood was over the moon. Her hard work over many years had finally yielded fruit, 'Potions Mistress Lovegood' she though with a smile, 'gives it a nice ring'. Leaning out of the open window, she called her seven year old daughter Luna, inside for lunch and spotting her husband flew into his arms engulfing him in a tight hug.

"I take it that your meeting went well" he stated with a teasing smile.

Celeste kissed him hard, "You can bet on it my love. It was a pleasant surprise to get a word of praise from the brooding man. I only have to test it out on a volunteer and I am assured of my mastery."

"That's wonderful news honey, let's celebrate with some lunch."

His wife glared at him and at his chuckles pouted, "Only lunch!" Celeste cried with disbelief.

"Why don't we go to London and Diagon alley after lunch? I am sure that Luna would love that, it has been a while since we took her out and then when she is asleep we can do something about your reward" her wife agreed whole heartedly to that plan.

In the small wood just beyond their backyard, Luna Lovegood was happily skipping and jumping around in the bracing air. Her silvery blonde hair glowing in the morning sun and her sapphire blue eyes sparkling with happiness, Luna was enjoying the day. The trees told her that they would go to sleep shortly and this would be the last time she would be able to talk to them before spring. That was the reason why she woke up extra early in the morning and spent most of the morning with her beloved friends.

Due to the remoteness of their house, Luna did not have any friends of her age, but she found very early in her life that she had a unique ability to talk to trees and understand their moods, get them to help her if needed and generally have a lot of fun with them. She enjoyed spending time with her mother and listen to the stories about the incredible 'Boy-Who-Lived', Harry Potter and his amazing adventures. Luna knew that the stories were just that, stories, otherwise how would a boy only as old as her do all the amazing things like fight a full grown dragon? She however had great fun in sharing those stories with her beloved trees, which were attentive listeners and gasped and cheered at all the right places. Luna even tried to enact the scenes but grew bored easily needing to enact both the hero and the villain at the same time.

Hearing her mother call her inside, Luna began skipping across the backyard, but she felt a strange pull coming from her favourite Apple tree that had her tree house. So she turned back and gave the tree an extra-long hug before turning back and that extra few minutes was all that was needed as '_Laya_' intended to take care of one of the three, beloved children. Luna reached the cleared path that connected the back door with the small gate that led into the wood but was blown back when a huge explosion ripped through their house. She was peppered with splinters of wood, flung through the air and her clothes caught fire. She plowed into the ground after flying a few feet and landed in a small puddle of water. The impact caused her to lose consciousness but also helped in dousing the flames that began springing to life on her jumper.

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Luna woke up a little more than an hour later. The first thing that she saw was the ruins of her once beautiful house and noticed that her woolen jumper was smoldering in a few places in the front, increasing the size of the holes that the fire left. She quickly rolled over in the slightly damp soil to kill the remaining flames. Luna remembered her mother telling her that members from the ministry would come to their house in case of any emergency and this definitely constituted an emergency. She tried to stay brave but quickly succumbed to the wracking sobs crying for her lost parents, being alone without any other relations or friends and not the least the pain of the hitting the ground hard and loss. Tears streamed down her cheeks covered with soot and dirt. Her body was covered in multiple bruises and bumps due to her hitting the ground. She also had multiple pieces of wood embedded in her skin all over her body drawing blood which ran in thin streams from the punctures and some of it already dried on her skin.

Luna tried to pull out a few of the bigger splinters but found that she began to bleed again and the pain was too much for her to bear. She hoped that the ministry workers would come in search of her and treat her and so she waited even while occasional cries escaped her. With passing time she lost hope that she would be found, increasing her despair at the situation. She was terrified of being alone as she had no food and with the climate turning colder and threatening to snow, her beloved trees also would not be able to help her. She knew that she was absolutely alone as there were no neighbours nearby and she was scared of being alone as she was never prepared to survive away from her parents.

Waiting till late afternoon, she grew hungry and with the incessant grief she was fatigued. Luna lost hope that the ministry would respond and save her and so lifted herself off the cleared path and stumbled towards the wood. She instinctively knew that her dearest friend, the apple tree saved her by calling her back but when she tried to express her gratitude, she understood that the trees were already asleep. She was now well and truly in a dire situation, without any food and no shelter she knew that she would not last long and so she had to move and maybe get lucky and meet someone who could help her. Luna stubbed her toe on a rock hidden among the grass of the backyard and fell, luckily she was able to twist in midair to land hard on her back bringing forth a fresh torrent of tears. She was thankful that she did not fall on her face as that would have driven the splinters deeper into her body. Her cries subsided but left her without much energy and finally exhausted, she fell asleep.

When Luna was in her slumber, the grass around her moved to help out the little girl who was a friend of everything that was green and alive, be it a majestic Oak tree or a lowly reed in the pond. The blades of grass extended out and slowly began creeping over the prostate girl. The bigger leaves wrapped themselves around the splinters tightly, the hairs on the leaves maintaining a tight grip and the stems of the grass slowly pulled back. The leaves gently swayed in a non-existing breeze while extracting the embedded pieces of wood out of Luna. At the same time few of the other leaves pressed hard onto her wounds not only stemming the flow of blood but also adding their magical energy to heal the wounds leaving not even scars behind. Some of the stems grew taller and wrapped around the sleeping girl forming a shroud and giving her some much needed protection from the cold. With night falling however, the grass retreated back so that the dew that formed on their blades would not drench the girl causing much more damage.

The bitter cold of the night woke Luna up and she found herself all alone and trembling. She was surprised to see that all the splinters of wood have been removed and her cuts cured, she now only had a few bruises that have to be cured naturally by her own magic. The pains in her body were not of immediate concern for her but the bitter cold was. Her flower print gown was in tatters because of the blast and the woolen jumper just barely able to give her warmth. Luna knew that magic was in intent and even the so called 'accidental' magic was her untrained magic responding to her intent and desperate need.

With a chant of 'need to keep warm' going on in her mind, Luna climbed up to her tree house which was partially damaged in the blast. Hugging her knees to maximize body heat, Luna fell into a fitful sleep.

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Waking up with the bright sunlight streaming through the holes in the roof of the tree house, Luna climbed down and hugged her friend the apple tree for one last time. She had a feeling that she would not be able to talk to her again or at the least for a very long time. Her hunger and thirst forced Luna to walk away from the one place she felt safe and began an arduous trek without any destination in mind but with a heart full of hope in search of a savior.

As the day passed, Luna grew more weary, she stumbled along with barely a coherent thought. Time had no meaning for her, her only thought was to find someone or at least something to eat, though where she had no idea. Trudging along most of the day, she suddenly felt a strange need to head in a particular direction and without conscious thought, surrendered to the pull. Her magical core was not used to longer periods of starvation and combined with the need to keep her warm not to mention healing her bruised body, depleted quickly. Magical exhaustion finally caught up with her leaving her sprawled spread eagled on the moist ground.

Later that night, she regained consciousness and felt warmth surround her body and a feeling of two bodies pressed into her. For the first time in two days, she felt safe and protected in an embrace. Too tired to even open her eyes, Luna fell into a natural and healing sleep.

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Walking around the Great Malvern area during the evening, Harry and Hermione also felt a strange pull that was very hard to resist. Walking in the direction they were being led, they came across a blonde haired girl not much older than them sprawled in the open. Reaching the girl they found her unconscious and attempts to wake her up did not work out and so Harry picked her up bodily. Even though Harry was emaciated, he had a surprisingly wiry strength hidden in the small frame probably hardened by the rough life. Hermione suggested that they move back to the small shallow gully that they came across before reaching the girl and Harry carried the girl with Hermione leading the way in the quickly gathering darkness.

While Hermione began removing the tattered and very wet clothing from the unconscious girl, Harry looked around and came back with a good sized pile of dry wood. By now even Hermione became an expert in preparing a reasonably comfortable bed for them with the limited supplies they had at hand, on which Harry placed the girl. Harry and Hermione quickly gobbled down the left over sandwich that they earned working at a nearby cottage and after a quick bathroom break came back into the gully. With a merry fire blazing away, Harry and Hermione quickly undressed and snuggled on either side of the girl under the improvised duvet, giving her some much needed body heat. Their desire to help the girl involuntarily spurred their magical core to lend some of their own energy to the magically exhausted girl. The tiny loss of magic from Harry and Hermione quickly put them to sleep, a defensive move by their body to conserve energy.


	6. Chapter 6

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 6**

Luna woke up to the mouthwatering smell of a chicken stew; she cracked open one of her eyes to take in her surroundings. She was on a makeshift bed and covered with an assortment of clothes that kept her warm but more importantly there was a good sized fire burning a few feet away adding to that warmth, even though it looked like it was nearing afternoon. She was in some sort of a gully protected on all sides from the elements except for the open ceiling. The aroma of the stew was coming from a can, one each in the hands of a bushy haired girl and a black haired boy. Both of them were wearing rags but what attracted her attention and most importantly calmed her down was the friendly and intelligent look on their faces.

She raised herself up gingerly groaning due to an ache in her left shoulder which looked like the only bruise still left over after her near brush with death. The improvised duvet fell away when she sat up straight and it was then that she noticed her nakedness but surprisingly did not feel the need to cover herself up.

Her movement caught the eye of her two companions and the girl came to her quickly and crouched beside her. "How are you feeling?" she asked tenderly.

Luna wiggled her toes, legs, arms and fingers and she felt fine, "I am fine. Thanks for asking, all my pains and aches are gone. Only my shoulder is a bit sore, otherwise I am happy to have found you or maybe it's the other way round, happy that you have found me" she replied with a grimace.

The black haired boy looked at her with startling green eyes which stirred a memory in her, "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat some stew?" he asked holding the can of stew out for her to take.

This brought a smile to Luna's face, "Yes please, I am starving." She quickly grabbed the can and looked around for something to use for putting the stew in but was interrupted by the girl, "I am sorry but we do not have any bowls or spoons, you will have to drink directly from the can."

Luna just nodded her head and took a tentative sip; the stew was of just the right temperature and settled nicely in her tummy warming her up instantly. She took a hurried gulp or two, "It's lovely, thank you for saving my life. Oh! I am Luna by the way, Luna Lovegood."

"Hi Luna, I am Hermione Granger and this is Harry."

Luna's head immediately snapped to look at Harry's face, she let out an involuntary gasp when her eyes found the lightning bolt scar on his forehead, "You are Harry Potter" she blurted out.

Harry's eyes widened immediately but he smiled delightfully, "Harry Potter, is that my full name?" he asked.

Luna was shocked, "Did you not know?" getting a negative shake of his head she continued, "Harry James Potter actually or if the whispers are accurate Harrius James Potter. You were born to James and Lily Potter."

Her revelation was shocking to Harry, he never knew the names of his parents but what was surprising to him was that Luna knew his name and identified him by just looking at him. Hermione was also thinking on the same lines, "How did you know about Harry?" she demanded.

"Why? Harry is a very famous person in our world. He is very well known to a lot of people. I am surprised that you did not know all of this and more over I never expected to find you here of all places." Luna was shocked too, to find that all the myths of the savior of the wizarding world living the life of a prince and in luxury were nothing but lies. She knew that Harry was hidden away from everyone supposedly for his safety but here he was wearing nothing but rags and looking at him, Luna knew that he was struggling to eat enough.

She was jolted out of her musings by a very surprised Harry and an equally shocked Hermione voicing the same question, "Why am I/ is Harry famous?"

Luna sighed deeply, these two did not know about the wizarding world and she was not sure if Hermione was even magical. Could she break the statute of secrecy and tell them about magic? Then again she could not hide from the two the knowledge after blurting out about Harry and besides these two saved her life. She had nowhere to go and may have to depend on them for a few days more. 'No' she decided, 'she could not deny them the knowledge about the magical world and Harry's role in that.'

Luna finished her stew in the meantime but she was still hungry, she saw that Harry was holding a new can that he never touched, "Can I please have some more?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Harry realized that Luna was hungry but he was reluctant to open a new can, they had only four more cans of stew and a couple of cans of fruit and so he passed his uneaten stew over to Luna. Hermione saw that Harry had not eaten anything and so passed her own half eaten food to him, "Here Harry, you can have the rest. I am not hungry any more" she lied for Luna's benefit. He gave Hermione a look of gratitude before tipping some of the stew into his mouth.

Seeing the exchange Luna realized that they may not have had any more food and she was greedy to take away the small amount of food they had. She felt guilty and tried to apologize but Hermione waved her apology away, "Don't worry about it Luna. We are used to meager rations. Now why don't you explain why Harry is famous and what do you mean our world?"

"Can I get dressed before I tell the tale, it is quite a long one" Luna asked but then saw her tattered clothes which were spread out near the fire to dry.

Hermione caught her gaze and assured her that she could borrow one of her dresses before her own dry out. Luna caught the hidden meaning that she would have to get used to wearing rags. After a whispered conversation about using the loo with Hermione, she followed her out of the gully and a short distance away to relieve herself. She was surprised that she did not feel the need for modesty before Harry probably unconsciously mimicking Hermione who was wearing a frock that barely covered her.

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Getting dressed in one of Hermione's better frocks, Luna began the story that angered Harry even more than he ever felt. Magic was real, his parents were not drunks killed due to their own carelessness but were murdered by a psychotic madman and he survived the horrific night thrusting him into the limelight. Not only his parents but his entire family consisting of a godfather and a surrogate uncle also fell the same night. People celebrated the demise of the evil wizard but never spared a thought to the orphaned boy or his murdered family.

Even though the instigator of what was effectively a civil war was also killed by his own curse rebounding on him, the society had not changed one bit. The bigotry based on blood lines still existed and even though the killings of those of the perceived lesser blood abated, the persecution flourished. What made his blood boil was that he was left on the doorstep of his relatives even if it was well known that they hated everything to do with magic. Even more infuriating was that he was not checked upon if he was being treated right and left to live a life of abuse and misery.

Hermione was horrified listening to the gory tale of her best friend, a boy on whom she had come to depend more and more to get thorough the rough times. If she thought that her life at the orphanage was terrible, she shuddered at the thought of someone leaving a baby on a door step on a cold November night. 'How much more cruel can it get?' she thought angrily. Then she had a most frightening thought, 'would Harry now leave her too because she was different and had no magic?' she had no recollection of her parents talking about this magic and so if Luna was correct and neither of her parents were magical, then it was very much possible that she had no magic.

Throughout Luna's recital a range of emotions passed through Harry, fear of the unknown, pride in his parents and so called uncles who fought bravely against the dark lord, disgust at the bigotry but above all these there was anger. All through the story Hermione maintained a comforting hold on Harry and with her head resting on his shoulder managed to avoid the major explosion that was threatening to break free upon hearing about a friend betraying his parents.

Luna felt a little hurt after seeing the amount of comfort the two shared and she felt lonely, the wounds of losing her dear parents still fresh in her heart. Luna wished that she could also join in the hug and comfort the hero of the wizarding world along with getting a little solace to her aching heart but she did not know if she would be welcome. She tried her best to stem the flood of tears threatening to overflow from her eyes and tried to maintain her composure.

Luna's resolve lasted only as long as it was the time to relate her own misfortune. Her brave façade broke and she was left in tears remembering all the good times she spent with her parents and grieved for her own loss. Hermione immediately abandoned her own morbid thoughts and rushed to hug her new friend who was now sprawled on the cardboard which doubled as a mattress. Harry also suppressed his emotions ruthlessly and quickly grabbed the two crying girls to his chest and concentrated on comforting them as best as he could. His presence somehow brought a semblance of calm to Luna's troubled mind and she returned their hug with fervor, thanking them.

Letting Luna gather her composure, Harry brought his own thoughts to their logical conclusion. "So let me get this straight, because of something that my parents did or because of sheer dumb luck, I survived a night of murder and mayhem and that made me famous. Even then I was left on the door step of an abusive home and no one bothered to check up on me?" Harry asked with a little bit of anger spilling into his voice full of anguish.

Luna could only nod mutely to Harry's pretty accurate summarization of his life. While Harry was struggling with his thoughts, Hermione voiced her own concern, "Luna do you know if I am also magical like you and Harry?" she asked with no less amount of trepidation.

Luna sighed and giving her an apologetic look replied, "I am sorry Hermione, I do not know about any Granger family being magical. Not that I know a lot of families, but the best way to know is if you have done some accidental magic."

"Accidental magic?" enthused Hermione.

"Yes, I told you that wizards and witches have what are called magic wands to channel magic. But in children, the magic is not controlled and in extreme emotions the magic would be released as an uncontrolled burst to shape what you want to happen" Luna was not really sure if her explanation was enough as she never read about the theory of magic. Even though she had a healthy enthusiasm for learning even though her mother forbade her to read about magic till she turned ten. She wanted her to enjoy her life and play around rather than devote her time to study; she had to do it once she turned eleven anyway.

"I think I know what Luna is saying" he turned to Hermione, "You know how I told you that I appeared in an unknown place more than 10 miles away from my relatives house to escape from my uncle. Even though I did not know how I did it, I remember thinking desperately about escaping that place, I think that was accidental magic" Harry supplied helpfully while Luna was nodding her head in agreement.

Hermione was devastated, nothing like that ever happened to her as far as she remembered, but she forgot one essential point, she never had the need to fuel her emotions to such an extent that she had an accidental outburst of magic. The one time she did was when escaping the orphanage turning invisible but she had no means to know that. Without that knowledge she concluded that she was not magical. She could not stop the sob that escaped her lips; she was worried that Harry would abandon her.

Harry sensed Hermione's fear and immediately pulled her into his lap and hugged her tightly. He tried to reassure her even though his own voice was cracking with sadness for his first friend, "Don't cry Hermione, I promised you that I will not leave you and I will keep my promise. Even if you are not magical I will not leave you. We will live our life together and if Luna wants to join us she can too."

Luna told her own story about not having anyone to look after her and she desperately wanted to live with Harry and Hermione. But she was afraid to invite herself to join their journey; they did not know her after all. All her doubts vanished when Harry invited her too, the few words sounded like music to her ears and she immediately agreed by hugging Hermione who was still in Harry's embrace but was sufficiently calmed down by now.

"Yes Hermione, Harry's right I for one would like to be your friend too and I also promise that I will not abandon you whatever happens." The emotions of the three children were high due to their shared troubles and anguish and so they did not notice a faint silver glow that engulfed them. The glow was not very bright and so was not seen in the gathering darkness and after a few seconds merged into the hugging trio. The magical energy that was shared by the three as it entered them energized the three and calmed their troubled hearts. The bonds much deeper than friendship started to form that day between the three.

Deciding to forego dinner, the emotionally drained boy and two girls decided to call it a day. With Harry sandwiched between Hermione and Luna the three quickly settled down for the night. Luna was a little hesitant to sleep without her clothes on but quickly realized the logic in sharing body heat.

Harry was intrigued by something about what he learnt that day, "Luna, how is it possible that everyone knew about me and that I was missing?"

Luna coloured a little and was thankful that the lack of perceptible light hid her blush, "There are a lot of books about you Harry. Most of them are fictional which show you as a hero battling Dragons, and bad wizards and such but a couple of them are factual."

Harry was shocked but Hermione let out a giggle further annoying Harry. "So how many of the hero books did you read Luna?" Hermione wanted to know in a gentle teasing tone.

Luna's blush further intensified and now Harry also joined her, "I did not!" she replied and then in a mortified voice continued, "My mother used to read them to me a lot." Hermione wanted to laugh out loud but did not want to tease her on such a delicate matter and so settled for rubbing Luna's back from the other side of Harry to offer comfort to the still upset girl. Harry just tightened the grip on both the girls conveying his support to them.

A few minutes of silence followed only to be broken by Harry questioning Luna, "Do you know when my birthday is?"

Of all the questions he could ask, Luna was not prepared for this and brought fresh tears to both her and Hermione's eyes. The two girls had Harry in a tight hug determined to quell the pain that Luna's rendition of his life story brought about. Clearing her throat Luna replied in a falsely bright voice, "Actually it is on 31st July and you were born at exactly 3 in the afternoon, I was also born at exactly the same time as you were born."

His excited shout of "Really!" was cut short by Hermione's gasp. In answer to Harry and Luna's questions Hermione supplied, "That's the same day I was born, moreover I was also born at exactly the same time."

Harry was ecstatic; his two girl friends were of the same age as him right up to the minute they were born. Was this a huge coincidence or had some inner meaning? They had no answer to that question and the three exhausted kids drifted into slumber with their own thoughts on that matter.

The morning brought another shock to the trio and this one was much more profound. Everywhere they could see there was a thin layer of frost. The blanket that was on the top of their makeshift duvet was frozen stiff and was useless for them if they needed to use it. The sun was totally blotted out with a heavy fog hugging the ground. They were lucky that there was no snow otherwise the gully they were in might have been filled up quickly. It was time to break camp and move out.

They finished their morning routine and heated another two cans of stew over a barely burning fire and shared that between the three of them. The fog also made travelling difficult for them as they could not see more than a few feet. The cold made the tattered clothes they were wearing utterly useless even with all the sets of clothing they had been worn on their body, they were still shivering with the cold. It was especially difficult for Hermione and Luna as the gowns they were wearing left their legs exposed to the biting cold, it did not help them one bit that the blanket that they had was useless.

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It was now about five days since Harry and Hermione met Luna and formed a deep bond of friendship among the three. Wandering through the countryside near blind they were exhausted. Their last two cans of stew were emptied about three days ago and the slices of preserved pineapple lasted another two days. Their last meal was paltry even by their usual meager standards and they were now running purely on their magical energy. It was approaching late afternoon and they were dreading the time of the day that would finally lead them to blissful unconsciousness. They did not have any doubt that losing consciousness would be deadly in the early December weather especially without any protection from the harsh climate, let alone a snug shelter.

Harry, who was leaving the larger share of food to his girls as he began calling them, was beginning to feel the effects of lack of energy in his body. They were walking on a path that was travelling parallel to what looked like a vine covered cliff in a grove of densely populated trees. This was surprising to the three as there were no cliffs nearby but they were too tired to bother about it. Harry stumbled and leaned towards the cliff to regain his balance but to his shock fell through a hedgerow that was overgrown with vines and was probably taller than ten feet, which amazingly parted without much effort.

Lying down on the ground without much energy he saw a sight that was a balm for his sore eyes. There in front of him was a small wooden cabin, covered with vines and surrounded by over grown bushes but still a cottage. With excitement coursing through his body and a little help from an equally perked up Hermione and Luna, Harry scrambled up and crossed into the compound. Looking back they were surprised to see that the hedgerow mended itself without any evidence of trespass.

The cottage was not big probably as evidenced by only two rooms, definitely abandoned but in very good condition. Removing small stones, vines and assorted obstructions they had to push open the door with some effort. The door opened into what looked like a combination of kitchen and a dining hall. The room was not more than four feet in width and about seven feet in length containing a rundown table and a solitary wood stove. The room did not give them any confidence regarding their survival due to a distinct lack of food, though what they expected in a rundown cottage, they did not know. An opening led into what definitely was a bed room which was probably seven feet by seven feet and contained a large four poster bed complete with a mattress, comforter and pillows with a layer of dust over them.

"At least we will not freeze to death even though we may die of starvation" Harry joked. Hermione and Luna did not even deign to retort as their situation was dire indeed. Walking around the room there was not even a closet or a wardrobe which was surprising but more importantly they could not find a bathroom.

Luna who was looking through the vine covered window spotted a small shed much smaller in size than the cottage. "Maybe that shed has the bathroom" she said unconvinced.

Hermione who walked to the other side of the room behind the bed noticed a loose floor board and lifting it spied a round iron ring embedded into the wood. "Harry this looks like a trapdoor" she cried out barely containing her excitement. Rushing to her side Harry and Luna realized that it was indeed a trapdoor.

Grunting with effort, Harry with the help of the two girls managed to lift the trapdoor which locked into place vertically. They spied a set of wooden stairs in the cramped opening which was too narrow to barely admit a full grown adult but was easily negotiated by the three small kids. Looking into the opening they encountered only blackness and were apprehensive to go down the stairs and investigate the underground cellar.

Acting on a hunch Luna cried out, "Lights!" and was rewarded with a soft glow mimicking natural sunlight without the harsh glare lighting up the room. Harry and Hermione were struck speechless and it was left to Luna to state the obvious, "This is a magical home" she exclaimed with glee.


	7. Chapter 7

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 7**

Looking down into the opening with a little bit of apprehension, the three children stared at each other willing the other to be the first to get down the stairs. They were also afraid that they had entered someone's home without permission and that person could be waiting downstairs and were not sure of their reception. Three children hungry and dirty may not be a threat to the person hiding out but may not also be welcome, especially if food was scarce.

Taking a deep breath and with nerves taut with tension, Harry called the two to wait and let himself down the stairs and into a narrow room just as long as the one above ground. The stairs led to the center of the room but along one of the walls. The room had four doors on each of the four walls and he could see that the house was much larger here than that on the surface. Luna suggested that the house was designed in such a way that in times of trouble the people could seal off the top floor and then hide in the rooms underneath the main house. If that was the case, the hidden rooms should be much more lavish than the ones on the top and just by a glance at the four doors he could guess that the house was indeed much larger.

Harry got off the stairs and turned back to see that his girls were already half way down the stairs and were descending at a rapid rate, probably frightened to be left alone. He tried to open the door on his right but his efforts were futile and his heart sank that after everything they went through, they may still be left in the deserted house without any hopes of surviving. Though the lamps in the small room were bright enough, the doors were sunken and so partly hidden in shadows and that was the reason he could not spot an intricately carved symbol on the inside of the door frame.

"That is a rune Harry; they are used to channel magical energy from the surroundings and used to work magic. Even if a person does not have magic, the runes can still be used to do simple tasks, in this case like opening the door" with that she pressed the symbol with her finger for a couple of seconds letting it charge. When the rune glowed in a soft orange light, the door slid to the top creating an opening, surprising Harry and Hermione. The two of them expected a normal door with hinges but this was very different.

The room was dark and this time Hermione was up to the task and cried out for the lights to switch on. Inside was a fully equipped kitchen with a four burner stove occupying the center stage on the raised platform. The room also contained an oven, mechanical grinder not the one they were used to running on electricity but apparently contained a set of knives that could shred or a pestle that could pound and worked on magic. There was even a small table that could easily seat four people without any problem and a cupboard full of crockery and silverware. It was definitely a rich man's kitchen and hopefully they would be able to use it.

"Does the stove work on gas, Luna?" Hermione wanted to know. It was still fascinating to Harry and her, learning about all the new things that magic could do. The shape and function of the appliances were the same as that in a normal house but still everything was different.

"No Hermione, there is no gas or what did you call that, Ekelictricy?"

"No, Electricity" supplied Harry. He knew that he would be the designated cook as both the girls never even boiled milk and so he was keen to understand how to operate all the amazing stuff in the kitchen. It was better equipped than the one he used at his aunt's house and everything was magic!

"Yes that, all of these have runes to use the magic around us and do their functions. Even if runes are not there, wizards could use magic to create fire but you need a wand for that and as I told you children like us cannot use wands. So everything in a magical home uses runes to create things like water, heat and fire."

"WOW!" exclaimed Harry and Hermione. Hermione was a little sad that she could not use all the amazing stuff that she was learning, but at least with Luna and Harry, she was getting a chance to experience magic. Their excitement was dampened by the fact that they could not see anything edible in the kitchen, Luna was still a little optimistic as she knew that a lot of food could be stored under charms that allowed it to be fresh and that meant a separate room for storing it, they just have to find it.

Harry led the way back and opened the door exactly opposite to the one they exited and immediately called out for light barely managing to beat the girls. They burst out giggling at the silly game they have unconsciously started and it was a relief for them to be worrying about things like that rather than for survival. The sight that greeted them drew gasps from all the three; the room was lined on all the four sides with huge bookcases containing what looked like thousands of books. All the three of them loved to read but in the case of Harry never had the opportunity to do so, if they would be staying in the house, Harry was determined to read as many books as he could. He was more than sure that the books were about magic and that increased his excitement. The room had a fairly large fire place and a good sized couch which could hold the three of them comfortably, near the fire. In the center of the room was a huge table with six chairs all around it and also held writing implements and what Luna called parchment for writing on.

Hermione was literally drooling at the sight of the many books but even she knew that it would be useless for her to stay there without being able to feed themselves. Yes, the house was warm and it would be safe for them to spend the winter away from the cold, but no amount of reading would beat off hunger and so reluctantly followed the other two out.

The door on the right from the library led into a huge bedroom with a king sized four poster bed. The sight of the mattress and the comforter on top was enough to start them dreaming about curling up for the night. A door led into a closet stocked with clothes for both a man and a woman several sizes too large for them. Another door inside the room led to an attached bath room complete with a shower and a bath tub big enough for the three of them to use at the same time. They noticed that the taps also had runes on them, one for hot water, one for cold water and apparently the third for dispensing soap or shampoo depending on the rune that is activated.

The final door to the right of the kitchen nearly transported them into heaven. Right in front of them arranged in neat shelves were rows and rows of food. Different kinds of meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits and even the occasional fish were neatly packed in transparent plastic, labeled and sorted according to their kind. One wall also had different kinds of liquor which they were sure to stay away from.

The food was probably enough for two adults for a month but for the three children it would probably last two months. If they were careful it may even be more than three months before they would run out and Harry was determined to make it last as long as possible, at least till the end of winter before they were forced to leave the house and move on. For, leave the house they must as the stored food would not last them forever and he was not sure if there are any places nearby so that they could work for their meals.

Harry and Hermione automatically moved to touch the food just to make sure that they were not dreaming but were stopped short by a warning from Luna. "Don't touch them you two, food is kept under what is called as a stasis charm to prevent them from getting spoilt. When you touch the food, the charm is removed and you will have to use it up soon. So only take whatever is needed."

The two immediately nodded their heads in understanding and moved to a cooler box on one side of the room. With permission from Luna, they looked inside to see a bottle of milk and a few bottles of different juices and strangely one of pumpkin juice. A small shelf on the side also contained various kind of cheese and butter.

"Pumpkin juice is the most commonly used juice in the magical world. It does taste funny when you drink it for the first time but the taste grows on you, or at least that's what my dad told me" she finished with a sad smile. The constant company of Harry and Hermione alleviated some of the hurt but occasionally brought up memories which were painful to her. She was immediately engulfed in a hug from both the sides and held in their embrace which helped her some and allowed her to focus on the task ahead.

The cooler box was a different concept; not only would it keep things cool and preserve them, once a bottle is emptied or near empty, its gets filled back to the brim as soon as it was placed back into the box. Same was with the cartons of cheese and butter. Harry was not sure if he wanted to drink the pumpkin juice but the sight of apple, orange, and pineapple juices made him happy, while at the same time Hermione decided she was game to try the new flavour.

Once they exited the storage room, they had a brief debate regarding what to do first, eat or bathe. In the end they decided on a compromise purely on Harry's insistence that he did not have enough energy to stay upright any longer. He was running on pure magical energy and the girls were no better. While the girls went to the bathroom to fill the tub with warm water and soap suds, Harry grabbed a few pieces of chicken breast for a quick and easy to digest salad. He knew that they would have to take care since they would be eating solid food after more than a week.

Harry mixed a big bowl of salad with pieces of boiled chicken, cut tomato, carrot, onion and strawberry. A dash of lemon, pinch of salt and pepper along with a few herbs that he found went into the salad before garnishing it with olive oil. The hungry kids dug into the small but filling meal washing it down with juice. Juice was something that they managed to drink a lot as that would not only be filling their bellies but would also be easy to digest and nourishing to boot.

Leaving the dishes in the sink, Harry and Hermione watched in fascination as they washed themselves clean before being dried by a blast of hot air. It was way cooler and quicker than any dishwasher. Putting away the clean dishes and silverware, the kids dashed into the bathroom. Stripping naked they jumped into the tub together and watched in amazement as the spilt water was siphoned off without even touching the floor. They took their time in washing themselves clean and helped each other in washing their hair.

Finally ridding themselves of grime that had been accumulated over days, they dried themselves with fluffy white towels hanging from a rack. When they returned the towels to dry out hanging, they were immediately cleaned and dried too.

"I love magic" gushed Harry and Hermione in unison.

The three children with filled bellies and tired bodies flopped onto the big bed naked as they have been doing till now. Even though they were not interested in looking for night clothes, they were too tired to even think about it and besides they grew accustomed to cuddle up without a stitch on them. With the girls hugging him from both sides and his arms encircling them, the three weary kids fell into a relaxed sleep, warm and snug under a comforter for the first time in more than a week. For Harry it was the first time ever on a proper bed for as long as he could remember.

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The three children did not want to move from their warm cocoon but the need to relieve themselves forced them to get up. Harry especially was enjoying the feeling of a wonderful mattress below him and the warm embrace of his girls. They were determined to enjoy their time inside the house for however long it would be.

Harry being the only one who could cook was unanimously voted to use the toilet first and did so with a feeling of bliss much to the amusement of Hermione and Luna. They were all in the same boat but Harry suffered the most and so could very well understand his elation at finally being able to use modern amenities without the feeling of being a savage. But Harry would never begrudge the time he spent on the streets as that had made him into a very tough boy, one who would not need to rely on adults to make his way in the world and even had a chance to help out two others struck by misfortune.

While Luna was using the facilities, Hermione and Harry rooted out around in the closet for something for them to wear. Though the house was warm, there was a chill in the air probably due to the fact that their bodies were resting and so had no warmth in the muscles. The wardrobe was fully stocked but to their disappointment could only find clothes that would fit an adult. The pretty dresses made Hermione long for a chance to wear them but she had to concede that they would be of no use. Maybe Luna and she could try them on just to see how they would look. The only things that they could safely wear were the men's full sleeved shirts and there were quite a few of them. That would mean that all the three of them would be without any shorts or skirts to wear but that was of no consequence to them seeing that they were very comfortable in the other's presence even without that.

Harry decided to make a huge breakfast with plenty of fat so settled on bacon and eggs to be eaten with toast and a glass of warm milk. Harry knew that they had to conserve their food but he was also aware that they were starving for a long time and they needed to top up their reserves. He was prepared to gorge for maybe a week before cutting down on their intake.

After breakfast and a quick shower later, Luna and Hermione wanted to curl up on the couch inside the library with a book, Hermione was especially hard to restrain from tearing into the library. Harry however wanted to explore the area they were in so that they could be sure about their safety and a way to get out of there quickly if they needed it. So with obvious reluctance they agreed to accompany him on a reconnaissance trip outside.

There was a spattering of snow on the ground and now that they had a safe place to return to, the cold was enjoyable. They took care to dress warmly with each one wearing about three of the long dress like articles that Luna called as robes. With the judicious use of hair pins the robes were pinned up to come up to just above their ankles, lest they trip on them. The view they were faced with was spectacular to say the least. The glade that the house was in was totally impervious to outside sounds and it was a picture of peace and quiet. The three kids felt as if they were transported to an outwardly place and dared not to even breathe out loud for fear of disrupting the silence.

The yard bordered by the hedgerow was nothing remarkable except for the small shed that was almost on the edge of the marked boundary. With nothing to really see they passed through the wicker gate and roamed around the small glade. Even that turned out to be nothing of importance and felt as if the entire glade was shrouded in secrecy, which according to Luna was entirely possible and was planted for the specific purpose of hiding the house.

"Well now can we go back inside and read?" whined Luna. She was probably the one least accustomed to toughen it outdoors.

"I am more interested in checking out the shed. We now know that this is a magical home and does not need any fire wood, so what could be the purpose of that?" Harry was intrigued by the lonely shed; he really wanted to explore it and was hoping that it held more secrets. Magic was certainly fascinating and even the small shed may hold enormous secrets.

With determined strides Harry led the way to the shed with Hermione following him eagerly. She also was hoping to find something intriguing and experience more magic. Learning about magic but also the fact that Luna could not show them any magic that wizards could do due to being underage and having no wand was a disappointment for Hermione. Any opportunity to see magic was always welcome to her.

Harry reached the door but did not see anything resembling a rune that could be used to open the door. Even Luna could not provide an answer as to how to open the door. Finally Harry tried brute force and leaned on the door pushing it in, but being woefully under nourished and scrawny, the door did not even budge. Deciding to humor him, Hermione and Luna also tried to push the door in. However, unknown to either of them they were unconsciously commanding the door to open for them. In a rush of magical energy the door simply disappeared causing the three to tumble onto the floor.

Hermione and Luna were however cushioned on Harry and were uninjured. The hard landing on the stone floor with two girls on top of him however, left Harry with an angry bruise on both his elbows luckily for him there were no broken bones.

The girls jumped off him and pulled him up and tried to apologize but Harry brushed it off, "I have always healed very soon. Even broken bones did not last long, so no problem. I have a little pain but will be fine in a few hours, don't worry" he assured the two worried girls.

Hermione however was looked at her palm in incredulity, "I felt a tingling sensation in my hand just before the door disappeared. Do you think that I felt your magic working on the door?"

"If you are not magical, you cannot feel magic even in a very highly magical place" Luna bit her lip seeing the excited look on her friend's face. She did not want to disappoint her but getting her hopes high was also not correct, "I am not sure Hermione, I do not know about that because I did not feel anything. It is also possible that you have imagined it." Harry also supported Luna's view much to Hermione's disappointment but she bore it with grace correctly guessing that the two were only trying to console her.

The room was littered with bones of small animals and most of them looked like the bones of rodents. Thankfully there was no smell or half eaten rats and so helped settle the girls' nerves rather than freaking them out.

"Looks like a kennel for animals" Luna commented. "Quite a few people take to breeding rare animals and sell them for ingredients in potions. That also explains why the house was so well hidden; they might have been breeding some rare or dangerous animals. One thing I do not understand is how we were able to enter the house."

The other two agreed with her assessment as Luna explained about wards and the various protections that usually make a magical house unapproachable by strangers. They however thanked their stars that they were able to not only see the house but were also able to enter it.

The only thing of interest in the kennel was a huge egg in what looked like a nest made of earth. The nest was almost three feet high nearly covering the egg while leaving only a small hole on the top, enough for a child to put their hand through. They had no idea what the egg was or even if the animal or bird inside was still alive. With no option, Harry broke open the nest to see that the egg was unnaturally larger than any egg he had seen.

"That has to be a magical animal" commented Hermione unnecessarily.

The egg was perfectly spherical and almost the size of a small water melon, about a foot in diameter. Harry nearly dropped the egg when he hefted it into his hands due to the unexpected weight. He gently placed it back on the ground and observed it closely for any indication that it contained a developing and still alive animal. The egg was a pale green in colour and radiated warmth that did not dissipate even in the cold.

"What do we do with this?" Harry asked no one in particular. Hermione and Luna seemed lost in thought and so he added, "it would be nice to know if whatever was inside was still alive."

Hermione voiced her opinion, "I seem to remember reading that if the animal is developed enough you could hear the heartbeat through the shell."

So Harry did just that and felt a strange sensation starting from near his heart. "I think I hear a heartbeat, I also felt as if a wave of… something… something nice started from near my heart and travelled through my body and then connected with the egg. I don't know what but it felt nice."

They looked at the other for a few moments before shrugging their shoulders. Harry picked the egg up and they started to move back into the house hoping that the books inside the house would give them an idea about both his and Hermione's experiences.

No sooner than they stepped out of the nursery, they were confronted by a large wolf. It however was no ordinary wolf; just looking at the animal through their fear was a difficult task to the three. The wolf was nearly four feet in height at the shoulders and about seven feet long. The pale grey fur was more like bristles struck to it rather than a soft covering. The jet black eyes were like bottomless pits and they felt as if the animal was peering into their souls almost as if judging them, and probably it was. The aura of fear that the wolf radiated was immediately replaced by a sense of calm and safety as soon as the wolf scrutinized them and found them deserving.

The wolf stared unblinking into Hermione's eyes and forged a connection, "_**I have found you at last human child, together we are powerful, alone we cannot win. You are just like the messenger said, noble, brave, intelligent and above all compassionate but with a sense of justice and certain ruthlessness when dealing with tyrants.**_"

Hermione could not stifle the gasp that came out of her mouth. This pulled Harry out of his stupor; he remembered his promise to Hermione about protecting and taking care of her. Faced with an animal larger than him and one ferocious enough to give him nightmares, shocked him into immobility, Harry was in bind. There was no way he could even move a muscle let alone fight such a beast. Added to that, Luna was cowering behind him and trying to make herself as small as she could. The three children were terrified but felt as if they were made of stone when the wolf padded up to Hermione.

"_**Do not fear me my child, I cannot harm you. I am your companion, protector, teacher and a friend. Your mate and sister mate would need all the help they could get and with time we would grow into a powerful force to combat darkness**_" the wolf projected into Hermione's mind.

Hermione tentatively reached out and placed her hand on the snout of the wolf. A tiny spark of magic danced between her hand and the wolf's snout which caused her to giggle despite the situation. Beside her Harry and Luna were watching the spectacle with mouths agape. Hermione began scratching the wolf behind its ears and spoke out loud, "What do you mean that you are my teacher? Who is this messenger that you are talking about? What do you mean by mate?"

The expression on the wolf was the equivalent of a grin and answered her, "_**All in good time my dear. Suffice to know that from now on I am always there for you, your mate and your sister**_."

Hermione huffed, "Again with that mate. Anyway this is Harry and Luna, and I am Hermione. Do you have a name?"

"_**I am called 'Needa' in Elvin tongue. It means shadow in your language**_."

Hermione turned to her friends and introduced _Needa_ and told them everything that he said. Luna understood the implications of the word sister mate but even though she was blushing brightly at that, she refused to answer Harry and Hermione's persistent questioning saying that they should wait till _Needa_ tells them about that. By this time Harry and Luna were also petting _Needa_ and he was lapping up the attention.

Hermione suddenly had a wide grin on her face, "Does that mean I am magic?"

Harry and Luna burst out laughing more out of relief rather than anything else. Harry was hugging her while Luna was trying to drag her out of the embrace, "No Silly, you are a witch" she nearly screamed in happiness.

With their arms linked, Hermione and Luna twirled and skipped around the yard with shouts of "I am a witch" repeated over and over again punctuated with laughter.

They soon followed Harry towards the house they were staying in, only to stop and kiss him on either cheek simultaneously before pulling him inside amidst peals of laughter.


	8. Chapter 8

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 8**

The three very happy children went down the stairs into the living part of the house to find _Needa_ already waiting for them. Hermione was still on her high and so embraced the huge wolf near its neck, "How did you get here so soon _Needa_, we did not see you pass by us?"

"_**I can travel by using the shadows to a place near you Hermione.**_"

Hermione was relaying all the information to her two friends and they were ecstatic, maybe they could do that too. Unfortunately, _Needa_ shot down that idea, humans do have a way to travel almost instantaneously but travelling by shadows takes a special skill that none of the humans possess at least the humans that he had the chance to meet.

"I have heard about Shadow Wolves that travel using shadows, I think that _Needa_ is a shadow wolf" Luna exclaimed.

"Let's find out if there are any books on magical animals then we can read all about a shadow wolf. He promised to teach us everything he knows and if we cannot travel by shadows, I want to find what else he can do. Come on" Hermione began leading the way to the library. Now that she knew that she was a witch she could not wait to activate the rune that would open the door to the library. It was so exciting.

Harry was lost in thought about finding a place for the egg he was carrying. He wanted to place it near to them but also out of their way so that they do not accidentally break it. He looked at the wolf which looked like he was laughing at Hermione's antics. "Do you need something to eat _Needa_?" Harry asked the clearly amused animal.

At that the two girls stopped abruptly in their tracks and looked sheepishly at _Needa_. In their excitement they totally forgot about feeding him.

"_**Oh! Do not worry about feeding me little ones, I will hunt for myself. I am partial to fish and I know just the spot for finding them. I could get some for you too if you need**_" he projected to Hermione.

They were thankful that _Needa_ could hunt for himself. Though it was selfish of them, they were worried about the food rations and another mouth to feed and that too a big animal like him would have depleted their reserves very fast. Hermione conveyed their thanks for the offer of fresh fish; a little variation in their diet was always welcome.

"_**Right now I am tired and need to sleep. I will probably wake up after a week or so and if you can show me to a nice warm spot I will curl up and sleep.**_"

Hermione led them into the library and activated the fire inside the grate. "Will this work for you?" she asked.

_Needa_ went to the rug in front of the fire and like a typical dog, chased his tail for a couple of times all the while fluffing the rug up with his claws. Asking Harry to put the egg he was carrying on the rug, he curled up around it and promptly fell asleep much to the amusement of the three.

A full lunch was followed by an extended period of study in the library and that's how the days went for the three kids alone in the world. Though they could not understand most of the books that were there in the library, the three found out that they were really lucky in finding the house they were currently staying in. Luna was correct in saying that homes of wizards or witches were protected by enchantments called wards to keep out unwanted visitors and they also made the house invisible to non-magical people or muggles. In addition to wards several other protections may also keep the house safe and if needed totally unreachable even to magicals.

"So if this was a wizard's house then how did we find it?" was the question plaguing the minds of the children. In normal situations they might not have even bothered to look for it but this was far from normal, added to that they were literally confined to four rooms due to the heavy snow now covering the ground and the temperature far below freezing.

Hermione was trying to make some inroads into a book on runes but the intricate symbols all looked like the same and the description was much too complex. A few sentences did catch her eye though, "Listen to this" she called for the attention of the other two, "Wards use anchor stones carved with runes to keep them in place and though runes use ambient magic and can theoretically be used indefinitely, wards are not forever. They are generally keyed in to specific magical signature of the owner and so as long as the owner or his blood relatives use the house, the runes power the wards. Even after the death of the last of the blood relative, the wards could be powered for a few years after which they dissipate. This ensures that the property could be found if unoccupied for a number of years and the land claimed by the Ministry."

"I guess that makes sense otherwise the entire land would have been occupied over the years and the muggles would not have had any place to live" was Harry's opinion.

Luna had more to contribute, "This one says that there could be other protections based on the type of magic."

The other two looked bewildered, "Type of magic?"

"Yes, supposedly everyone has their magic with a certain affinity to a particular ability, For example, I can talk to trees and feel their emotions or needs, I am sure that you two cannot do that. I think that my magic has an affinity to anything green" Luna concluded.

"Do you think that the tingling sensation that I felt in my palm when opening the door to the outside shed has to do with my specific type of magic?" Hermione was feeling a little better after listening to that. When she felt that sensation opening the door of the shed where they found the egg that _Needa_ was now curled around, she felt apprehensive. She did not want to be different than Harry and Luna, but now it was possible that she had a special ability that neither of the two had.

"Yes, it is possible that you have an affinity to animals like I have for trees. That may also be the reason why _Needa_ chose you to talk to and witches or wizards that talk to animals are known but they are very rare. I am sorry that I did not believe you sister" Luna apologized.

They did not know that it was the ability of Hermione to connect and empathize with animals that actually opened the sealed door for the nursery to them. The protections around the nursery were designed to open for anyone who had the ability to bond with animals. The egg recognized a sympathetic witch and reacted to Hermione intending to form a bond, but since Harry was the one to make contact with the egg for the first time, the animal inside the egg bound to Harry as a familiar. It was probably for their advantage as Hermione was destined to meet _Needa_ and form her own familiar bond with him.

Hermione waved off the apology by hugging Luna tight. They began addressing each other as sister and Luna confided in Hermione the reason that _Needa_ called them as sister mates. Their giggles at the beginning was very annoying to Harry but they soon toned it down with time and even Harry consoled himself that he could not begrudge them. If poking fun of him made his girls happy, he would take that with a smile on his face. He also got a vague idea of the reason for their happiness as they refused to call him brother.

Very soon it was the day that _Needa_ promised to wake up from his extended slumber. Hermione was looking forward to it so that she could learn what special abilities he had and what she could learn from him. She was reading about shadow wolves and was totally enthralled in it and did not see _Needa_ waking up from his slumber.

"It says here that shadow wolves having a knobby tail come under another class of wolves called 'Wolf Wrath' and that they are masters of mind magics" Hermione summarized from the book. They did notice the small ball like structure at the end of the tail; it looked like it was only made of hard bone to be used like a hammer if needed.

"I wonder what it means by mind magic" Harry wanted to know.

"_**It means that I can read the thoughts of other animals and humans too. I can also force them to do what I want against their will**_" supplied _Needa_. The sudden voice in her head caused Hermione to shriek out loud and jumped nearly a foot high in alarm.

She immediately hugged him and tried to calm herself down, "You gave me a fright boy. How did you sleep?" she was joined by the other two who began petting and scratching the ferocious animal who was now responding to their touches like a cat.

Hermione could hear _Needa_ chuckling in mirth, "_**I slept very well, Thank you and now I am hungry**_."

All the three children laughed at _Needa_'s antics and after Hermione told them what he explained regarding mind magics, were awed at what Hermione could do when she learned about it. "Can I also read the thoughts of other humans or only of animals? What about making them do what I want?" she asked.

"_**You will be able to invade the minds of both animals and humans too; once you are trained up no one can escape your commands. It will take you sometime to actually do that powerful magic, in the mean time I will teach you and your companions about basic techniques to control your magic and finding your magical core. Now I will find some fish and meet you all later**_" with that _Needa_ melted into the shadows leaving three very happy children.

Even Luna was excited about learning to control her magic, she was told that it was not possible to do that until she turned eleven and went to Hogwarts. The long standing belief that she needed a wand to do that was also shattered by _Needa_ and she joined her two friends in an impromptu jig around the house.

Harry was a touch disappointed that he could not do all of that powerful magic that _Needa_ was going to teach Hermione. Even Luna had her special ability, but so far he could not find anything special about himself. He refused to feel sorry for himself, and even if he was just an ordinary wizard he would help the two girls to master whatever special abilities they had and always be happy for them. If it comes to the worst, he could always cook for them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Every morning after breakfast the three kids spent some time on the exercises for concentration and relaxation that they found in a book and also advocated by _Needa_. It was amazing to them that two polar opposite feelings are required to attain the same goal of touching their magical core and then use it to power their spells.

The first few days were a riot as they were unable to progress at all due to one of them bursting out in laughter. The faces scrunched up in concentration would cause one of the others to crack up in mirth and was immediately followed by the other two. However hard they tried to hold out, they could not hold their concentration causing them to lose focus. When it came to relaxation and clearing their mind of all thoughts, fidgeting while seated on the floor was the problem. Eventually they decided to be in a room by themselves for either of exercises and then move on to be able to do them flawlessly in the presence of the others. They would not be anywhere near touching their cores for the next six months as cautioned by _Needa_ but that did not deter them from their tasks. Apparently starting young was the key for such exercises and all three were motivated by the chance to do some magic soon.

Through the months of December, January and February, Harry and his girls enjoyed the respite from struggling to survive in the harsh world. Harry slowly reduced the amount of food they were taking out from under stasis charms and thankfully they had no need to reduce their consumption as _Needa_ almost always brought fresh fish every other day when he went out hunting. Christmas day was fun filled for them without any 'classes' as they termed their daily studies and mental exercises and Harry was able to persuade _Needa_ for plenty of fish for an indoor barbecue.

"If only we could magic food and fresh fruit, we need not move from this place" Luna declared wistfully one bright morning on February. Their supplies have at last started to run low and the writing was clear on the wall that the time to move was near.

They practiced concentrating on the feeling of magic flowing through their body into their hands and out of their fingertips even though there was no effect. The three of them tried to 'will' their magic to create food, as Luna told them, magic was mostly in intent. They even deliberately went without food for a day and then concentrated on eating delicious chicken stew but even then nothing happened except for louder grumbling from their stomachs.

"Maybe magic was never meant to create food" was their only conclusion. They thought that being desperate for something would trigger their magic and create food for them as Harry was able to use accidental magic to get away from his abusive relatives. Little did they know that food was the only thing that magic could not create, if that was the case then the entire balance of energy in the universe would have been thrown haywire.

The only real excitement they had was the birth of Harry's familiar. The egg was prone to violent shaking a few days before it was due to hatch and one fine morning in late February a tiny triangular head peaked out of the broken shells.

The animal that hatched was reptilian and had tiny wings protruding from near the shoulders. The body was scaly and structured like a crocodile and was supported by four stubby but muscular legs. The baby was hardly half a foot tall and when standing on all its legs, was mere inches from touching the ground. In contrast to the body the tail was flattened on its sides. Probably like a crocodile that uses its tail to propel itself and maneuver in water using it like a rudder, the tail in this case might be used for the same purpose in the air. Two ridges of raised triangular spines ran down the back starting from the base of the neck to the tip of the tail. The entire body was scarlet coloured with irregular patches of pale green skin an exact shade of the egg.

The head was triangular but not flattened and more like that of a garden lizard than a crocodile. What was unexpected were the two fangs and a forked tongue leading to the conclusion that its bite could be poisonous.

The cry of "_**Mama?**_" echoed inside Harry's head even though to the others it was just like the sound of two hard surfaces grinding against each other.

When Harry explained to the others what the newborn said, there were tears of anguish in the eyes of all the three orphans. They were also remained of their lost Mama but since they banded together taking care of each other, they vowed to take care of the new addition too.

"Sorry little one, but we are not your Mama. Don't worry, we will take care of you" Harry verbalized the words for other's benefit. Hermione found out that she could communicate with _Needa_ without actually saying the words out loud and maybe that will be true for Harry too, but for now he would try and include the others in the conversation, there would be plenty of time for trying non-verbal communication.

"_**If not Mama what are you? Will you hurt me**_?" there were tears even in the voice.

"No! No" Harry hastened to placate the baby, "We are your friends and will never hurt you. We will feed you till the time you are able to feed yourself, take care of you and protect you."

At those words _Needa_ chuckled and projected to Hermione, "_**More like she will take care of you**_" and disappeared into the shadows cast by the flickering fire from the fireplace.

Hermione took the chance to get the others up to speed, "The baby is a girl Harry. Luna, do you know what kind of animal it is?"

A shake of her head conveying her regret was the only answer from the blonde. Neither of the three were prepared to pet the newborn, they were unsure about the correct way to go about it but before Harry could reach out to touch, _Needa_ came back with a couple of fish clutched in his muzzle.

Placing the fish in front of the baby, _Needa_ looked into her eyes probably conveying what they were for. Harry and Hermione could only hear one side of the conversation they could pick from their respective familiars. Hermione was still unable to focus on her magical core and connect to it and so was unable to read the thoughts of Harry's familiar which she could have done after training. After the short dialogue, the reptile shot out a short blast of fire from her snout directed at the fish before gobbling them up.

The sudden blast of fire caused the three children to jump back in alarm but strangely found that though they were almost next to it, the fire was not hot for them, at least not any hotter than the one blazing a few feet away. Harry reached out and placed his hand on the back of the new addition only for her entire body to radiate flames outward. Harry almost had his heart beating out of his chest in terror but very quickly found out that there was no harm done to his hand, he just felt an incredible feeling of warmth spread all around his body. He removed his hand to and to his surprise and happiness found that his entire hand was now ablaze in the same scarlet flames as that of his familiar. The girls reached out and tentatively petted his flame covered hand and burst out in giggles.

"It tickles" they cried out amidst laughter. They reached out to pet the still flaming newborn and felt the same sensation. The flames did not last long as the clearly tired baby curled up in front of the fire and fell asleep after her first display of prowess for the benefit of her new friends. Unlike Harry, Hermione and Luna could not hold the magical flame in their hands; clearly the ability was unique for Harry.

"We have to think of a name for her" Luna voiced the opinion of the rest.

Harry and Hermione were nodding their heads but Harry wanted to know what kind of animal she was before they could do that, an opinion that was quickly agreed upon.

A couple of days of search did not yield them any clues as to the identity of the mysterious newcomer. The closest description they could find was that of a 'Fire Salamander' but the main difference was in the wings which were covered with skin like some prehistoric dinosaur instead of feathers. They finally settled on the name 'Clandi', shortened from clandestine due to her excellent camouflage abilities.

"_**Am I special or what**_" was the cheeky retort from the newly christened fire spouting reptile.

"You are one cheeky and slippery girl" Harry quipped, a sentiment which was whole heartedly agreed by the rest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The days passed too quickly for their liking and soon it was the day that they were going to leave the little house that offered them sanctuary when they needed the most. There was very little food left and that too was mostly smoked or salted meat that would stay for a few days even without the preservation charm. They were out of bread and fresh vegetables and fruit. The cooler box was doing its job of replenishing the milk and juices but they could not live forever on just that. Harry wanted to take the box with them, at least that would tide them over when food was scarce but it was too bulky until Luna came up with a bag that was apparently bottomless and feather weight. The three were determined to fit the cooler box into it even though the mouth of the bag was smaller than the box, but fit it in they eventually did.

Handy items like Cutlery, a few plates and bowls also went in along with essentials like all the men's shirts, towels and a few blankets. They discussed about taking the comforter and finally decided that it was a case of 'having it and not use it rather than need it and not have it' and so that too went in. Even in hot summer months the comforter could be used as a mattress, rather than using a cardboard for that. The bag was for one of the girls to carry while Harry picked up Hermione's and his non-magical backpacks that could carry a water bottle or juice for ease of access and hide the fact that the bag containing their possessions was magical.

In just a month, Clandi grew at an astonishing rate. They were not sure if it was normal for a magical animal, but she was now about two feet high and more than seven feet in length from snout to tail. The wings when extended were more than five feet in length and though still not able to fly fully, Clandi was a sight to see in the sky. The vivid scarlet colouring could fade into nothing in just a few seconds and the wings did not even make a whisper in air. The tail was used mostly for generating the thrust for takeoff at a short stumbling run and change direction rapidly when flying.

The two familiars were ever watchful of their charges and were almost always by their side except for hunting food. With most of the snow melting off at the end of March, the three children, one magical Wolf Wrath and a strange reptile resumed their journey northward.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Gwydyr Forest Area, Northern wales, April 1989 (more than a year since leaving the cottage)**

It was now more than five months after they found a nice cozy cave on the bank of a fairly large lake inside the protected area of the forest. The walk from the house they occupied near Great Malvern to the Gwydyr forest was about a hundred miles and most of it was easy and until they crossed into Wales it was mostly flat lands. With most of the stuff they had was being carried in the feather weight bag, they were not impeded for speed. To their disappointment _Needa_ could not carry anyone while travelling; the magic of the travel would inhibit anyone without the ability from crossing into the shadows, otherwise they could have just travelled to the cave in a fraction of a minute.

The availability of fresh milk or juice whenever they needed or was the only nourishment if they could not find work to buy food, was a driving force for them to concentrate on reaching the wild lands rather than linger around towns for food. With _Needa_ and Clandi helping them out, there was really no need for them to look for food except for fresh fruit or vegetables. Although from Clandi it was almost always of the barbecue variety.

The only time they really had a problem was when a street bum tried to grab Luna for the food she had in her hands. That was until _Needa_ sprang from the shadows and bared his canines and caused him to pass out in fright. "_**I modified his memory and made him think that you three managed to hit him hard enough for him to pass out. Now whenever he tries to bully a kid my snarling face will be the thing that he sees**_" the wolf placated the three clearly terrified kids.

"I cannot wait to learn all the tricks you have to teach me" cooed Hermione while petting her familiar.

"We have to increase our efforts to make our magic respond to our command. I for one am going to increase the time I spend on the meditation and concentration techniques. With magic, I need not worry about riff raff like that" a determined Luna announced. They were now able to sit together and maintain their concentration or relaxation even if the others were deliberately trying to disturb them. They were still unable to touch their cores, but _Needa_ and Clandi were confident that they would achieve that soon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The area they chose to stay in was not only well stocked for food with a lake and many fruit bearing trees, but was also out of the way where humans rarely ventured. Luna talked to the trees around the cave they were residing in and ensured a supply of fresh fruit throughout the harsh winter. They managed to find quite a few shrubs with berries and also some wild potatoes and leeks. The trees also provided them with tender shoots which were surprisingly tasteful.

The entire area was surrounded by a dense growth and the magic of the earth and the trees combined to make the spot a relatively warm place and also kept the lake from freezing. All in all it was a very comfortable and safe place for them to stay, but under _Laya_'s intervention events and destiny would conspire to bring forth massive changes in their young lives very soon.

* * *

><p>AN: I would like to think that 'Clandi' is a cross breed between a Fire Salamander and a Oocamy the other popular animal after the usual ensemble of dragon, unicorn, griffin, phoenix etc... I do not know what to call the breed and so will be justifying it by saying that no one knew or knows what kind of an animal it is.


	9. Chapter 9

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 9**

With pleasant weather returning during spring to the wild lands, Harry, Hermione and Luna had an easy time in foraging and hunting for their food. Though the food was not plentiful they had less trouble with finding it. _Needa_ was smug when telling them that the lake they camped beside was the same one that he used to visit for fish and the three kids took it in good humor. Harry always had the Gwydyr forest area as his target and even though he told _Needa_ that his influence in deciding their destination was almost nothing, the Wolf Wrath always had the last word in due to his intimidating looks. Whatever might have been the driving force for them to settle in that area, they were glad for the relatively fair weather, absolute privacy and more importantly readily available food.

The three companions now had more time to practice their relaxation and concentration techniques, which they did diligently. The two familiars were constantly by their side and encouraged them but particularly were helpful when the three kids felt disheartened by the lack of any perceptible results. When the constant encouragement was not enough to get them over their funk, a swim in the nearby lake almost always cheered them up. That also gave them the opportunity to behave like the kids they actually were, the presence of a watchful Clandi and _Needa_ was very welcome. The reptile never entered the water and acted like she was hydrophobic, probably in an effort to keep her wings dry, much to the amusement of the three children. She hovered protectively over them occasionally using her fiery breath to heat the water for them to frolic. _Needa_ almost always joined them, inadvertently teaching them to concentrate on multiple things at the same time while dunking them in turns and encouraging them to be aware of their surroundings.

Finally on the last day of April, Harry was able to achieve the state of concentrated relaxation, a state that was composed of two opposite emotions. In that state he was separated from the physical world and able to immerse himself in a trance that made him unaware of everything going around him. With a single minded approach, Harry focused all his senses on a flickering flame and then turned his sights into himself. He was startled to find that he was inside a warm presence that pulsed with a life of its own. He followed the stream consisting of what could be described as brightly lit particles of sand or like the Milky Way on a cloudless and new moon night, to its point of origin.

Centered inside his chest just below his beating heart, Harry saw a glowing ball that looked like a star at close range. The glow was rather subdued almost as if he was looking at the sun through the tinted glasses meant for viewing a solar eclipse. The star threw out occasional tendrils of light that sped away and the area around the ball crackled with charge almost as if a bolt of lightning passed through nearby. Harry slowly stretched his senses towards the ball and touched the outer surface, to his relief instead of an intolerable pain or discomfort he expected from the ball of energy; he oddly felt a sense of peace and warmth. It was a feeling he never felt in his entire life but was described to him by both Hermione and Luna, a feeling that apparently was felt in the embrace of a loving parent, a feeling of pleasure and more importantly of safety.

He imagined himself moving around the ball of energy that he now recognized as his magical core, the fruit of ecstasy that they were searching for. Harry was surprised to find another ball of energy similar in size tucked away behind the first. This was also pulsing with energy and seemed to be as active as the first in putting out tendrils of energy. They were close enough to give an illusion of being a single entity but they were definitely two units and unconnected to each. Though he was surprised at finding two magical cores within him, Harry was happy that he was able to find them at last. He felt disappointed though, as he could not feel the jolt of magical energy, which they read about, coursing through him when he touched his core. He was confused and not sure why he could not feel the magic raising to his command as they thought they could do. Yes, they were untrained to utilize the magical energy properly but he felt as if the energy was too lethargic to respond to him.

Harry rubbed his hand a little forcefully on his magical core and found that his hand cleared dirt and something oily from the surface of the core. He instinctively knew that whatever it was on top of the core was somehow blocking his magical energy from gaining its full potential. Harry removed his shirt and methodically started cleaning the surface of the two distinct magical cores. When the last of the debris was cleared, he was pushed away from the core in a burst of energy that spread out from the two cores in concentric pulses. He landed on his bare bum and was nearly blinded by the extremely bright magical energy that now sprung out of his cores. The frequency of the pulses slowly tapered off but Harry felt that the two cores were still unstable and prone to sudden bursts at random points of time.

At long last when the bursts of energy settled to a gentle wave, Harry could focus on his cores. He was surprised again when he found two reasonably thick cords of magical energy emanated out of the cores at the point where they were almost in contact with each other. Due to the nearly blinding energy put out by his cores, Harry was unable to see exactly where the two cords originated or even if each of the cords originated from one of the cores or both. Unlike the thin tendrils of energy that dissipated in a few seconds, these two cords remained constant, flickering on and off occasionally like a fluorescent lamp that was at the end of its life. Intrigued by the two ever present cords Harry followed the one on the left and he thought that it stopped just below his skin at a spot exactly over his heart. It was pointing towards the general region where Hermione was sitting in her own meditation and the other one was pointing towards Luna and from the same spot over his heart.

After what felt like a few minutes of exploration from the start, Harry felt drained and unable to maintain his presence inside himself, left his trance and became aware of his surroundings. Blinking owlishly, Harry was greeted to the sight of his girls sniggering at him. The reason was soon apparent when his eyes landed on his now dirty shirt that was lying a few feet away from him and he was prone on his bare back naked as the day he was born.

"Welcome Back Harry, Is that how we are going to eat lunch from now on?" Hermione asked her voice laced with humor.

All of his protests and thoughts ground to a halt at hearing the word lunch. He halted midstride while reaching for a new shirt and looked at the still snickering girls, "Lunch?"

Luna smiled at his cluelessness, "Yes, by the sun's position it is almost one in the afternoon; you were out for more than three hours. Did you find your core?"

Donning the clean shirt and taking the broiled fish and some salad from Hermione, they started to eat while Harry told his girls his experience with finding his magical core. His recital generated a hitherto unseen emotion in the two girls, one of jealousy but that did not last long as they remembered their promise of sharing everything with the others.

"From what you were describing, your magical core was probably blocked. It happens commonly in children who display frequent bouts of accidental magic. Blocking the core helps to clamp down on the incidents while preventing any damage to the child, while it gets dissolved gradually when the child begins to understand what was going on with his magic and has the ability to control it. I think that your block has started to grow thin before you finally broke it. I never heard about two cores though" Luna answered with a frown.

Her sentiments were echoed by the two familiars through their bonds to Hermione and Harry. When it came to Harry's description of the two cords reaching out, Luna lost her battle to maintain her composure and started giggling and she was soon joined by Hermione when Luna whispered about "mates" in her ear.

A bewildered Harry wanted to know what was going on but his question only increased their giggles much to his annoyance. Harry shrugged and moved out of the cave with their dirty dishes to clean them out, he did not want to get angry at the girls even though they were laughing at his expense. He was sure that they would let him into the secret sooner or later and hopefully it was a pleasant one.

When Harry returned back to the cave, he saw that the two girls were getting ready to meditate again, determine to find and connect with their magical core. "Concentrate on your safe place and then suddenly let yourself relax. I achieved this by imagining that the flame of the candle that I usually focus on suddenly became still instead of flickering. When I did that the flame suddenly burnt brighter than ever and I found that it is being fed by my own energy. I latched onto it and followed inside" Harry supplied helpfully. He wanted his girls to find their magical core too, and then they could probably practice hard and then be finally free without the fear of adult influence. Maybe they could even hide at the cave beside the lake and get all their needs by magic. That certainly was a very nice dream, one that could solve all their problems.

He joined the girls in the relaxation exercise and this time it was very easy for him to touch his magical core. The core was still turbulent but was definitely settling down. Harry took a few minutes to observe the core and see if there was any blemish that he had to take care of but finding none he followed the thick cords again till the surface only to find them unchanged. He was sure that Luna knew what they meant but she refused to tell him. With a sigh, he returned to awareness and seeing that the girls were still in their trance decided to kip out a bit.

He was woken up after an hour or so by two exuberant girls lunging onto him and grabbed in two vice like hugs. Hermione and Luna were able to touch their magical cores very easily with Harry's instruction and found that their cores did not have any block. They even found a single cord each that reached out to the surface just like in Harry's case which gave him a clue that it was somehow related to their bond of friendship. He did not know that in the magical world such bonds can manifest as a connection between their magical cores which could develop into a much more meaningful relationship later on in life. Hermione knew from the discussion with Luna what the connection meant, but they were reluctant to tell Harry, deciding to wait for a few years more when he would hopefully develop romantic feelings for both of them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, the three friends were happily foraging away for food, their morning meditation went splendidly and they were able to touch their magical core easily. That put a spring in their step. Harry was even able to pull out a tendril of energy from the calm surface when he willed some fire into his hands just like Clandi did to him just after she hatched. Though he was a bit disappointed by the lack of any physical result at his attempt, he was comforted by both Clandi and _Needa_ encouraging him that he was able to get a response out of his magical core, unlike the two girls. Rather than being disappointed or angered by this, the three companions redoubled their efforts to make their magic work for them, much earlier than other children of their age.

Harry and Luna cast their lines into the lake to catch some fish for lunch while Hermione volunteered to look for some fruit, wild vegetables or herbs to go with their meat. That was the sore point for the three kids. Though they were able to eat plenty of meat, the lack of any vegetables or greens in their diet made them constipated most of the time and they ended up with bloated stomachs, a sign that they were clearly under nourished.

Hermione was picking berries out of a shrub a little distance away from the cave, and was startled to hear leaves rustling a few feet away. The place she was in was screened due to the dense overgrowth and generally was devoid of animal life. Her ability to communicate with animals was still untrained but progressed far enough for her to identify the nature of the animal that was in her vicinity and that troubled Hermione, as her senses were telling her that this was no animal.

Crouching down to make herself as small as possible, she tried to peer around the bush she was behind and heard voices carried by the wind.

"I am telling you, there was a big enough burst of uncontrolled magic from this region" an elderly man with a few grey hairs in his coal black hair was telling his partner, a much younger man. If Hermione was to hazard a guess he was somewhere in his near twenties.

The younger man grumbled, "This is a nightmare, we have been looking since yesterday afternoon. Whoever might have released that burst might have gone back a long time ago, if not eaten already."

"Nathan!" the elderly man scolded.

"What?" Nathan replied defensively, "What else could it be in this forest? It might have been a kid with his family that was frightened by some animal he saw. You do not think that someone got lost here Mike? If that was the case then the kid would not survive even a day."

Mike had to agree with his younger partner, but the ingrained habit of covering all the bases always prompted him to do a thorough job. Being part of the accidental magic reversal squad demanded that he travel to places far away from London and usually in a non-magical neighbourhood, usually to find that it was just a kid frightened of the bogeyman. Such raids almost always ended up with the registration of a new muggleborn child and explanation of accidental magic to the terrified parents. This was the first time that he ventured into wilderness and Nathan was correct, no kid would survive in there for longer than a day.

With a sigh of defeat Mike wanted to agree with his partner and go back to the comfort of his house after more than a day of wandering. He was about to voice his opinion when he caught Hermione peering around the bush. His mood turned to one of surprise and was about to shout out an exclamation to alert his partner who was getting ready to move back to their camp.

Hermione heard their exchange and instinctively knew that they were searching for her and her mates. The magical outburst that they detected might have been the one that came out of Harry when he removed the block on his magical core. That realization brought fear to the little girl; there was no way that they would be safe if they were caught by people they did not know. Their trust in adults was almost nonexistent. They learnt that Harry was popular in the magical society and yet was left to suffer without the interference of the Ministry of Magic. When the man named Mike locked eyes with her, Hermione was on the verge of panic.

With immense concentration, Hermione touched her magical core, the desperate situation probably helping her and what took about a few minutes of immense concentration in the morning now was almost instinctive to her. With _Needa_'s instruction flashing through her mind, Hermione scooped some of her magic and threw it, figuratively at Mike while concentrating on entering his mind. The trick worked to perfection and she was able to slice through his protections to latch onto his conscious thought.

"_**There is nothing for you here; you are just wasting your time. You will forget about ever seeing me or this place that you have ventured into**_" Hermione commanded in a strong voice and just as swiftly and silently withdrew from his mind.

Mike woke up from a trance like state and was not even aware of anything wrong. He quickly turned and clapped a hand on his partner's shoulder, "Come on Nathan there's nothing here, and I am not even sure why we bothered to come all the way out here. Let's forget this incident, the firewhiskey's on me."

With an excited shout the two Ministry of Magic workers left to their camping spot to collect their belongings and depart.

Hermione was ecstatic, after months of training she was finally able to connect to someone else's mind and change their intent. That it was a human that she was able to command was the icing on the cake. Her jubilation however did not last long. Being untrained in the control of magic and breaking into a reasonably well-defended mind, took a lot out of Hermione. Moreover she used much more magic than was required, probably the reason she was able to enter so easily even if she was untrained. The lack of adequate training coupled with the lack of proper nourishment brought about magical exhaustion and Hermione struggled to stay upright. She tried to grab onto the shrub she was hiding behind but could not and fell onto a boulder with a jagged edge all the while trying to brace her fall with her arms. With a sickening crack, the bone which was not hardened enough broke and the added weight of her body forced the bone to pierce the skin and jut out a bit. The pain and the exhaustion took their toll and Hermione promptly fainted.

Meanwhile, _Needa_ was trying to jump into the lake in an effort to help Harry and Luna in their fishing. He could feel Hermione's successful attempt at her own brand of special magic and was proud of her achievement. The elation quickly turned to horror however when he felt the immense pain that was accompanied by loss of consciousness. Without a second thought,_ Needa_ melted into the shadow cast by the bank that Harry and Luna were perched on and travelled to Hermione's side in an instant.

Hermione was still lying on the boulder at an awkward angle and the pierced skin was bleeding, though not much, the loss of blood would lead to serious complications if it was allowed to continue. It was the first time that _Needa_ really cursed, himself for the inability to carry someone by shadow travel, the situation for a lack of adult supervision in their lives and the inability to communicate with either Luna or Harry. '_**Harry! … Wait**_' he thought with sudden realization.

"_**Clandi could you bring Harry to me and quick**_" _Needa_ sent a mental communiqué to Harry's familiar.

Near the lake both Harry and Luna were worried. The reaction of Hermione's familiar was troubling; he would not disappear in a hurry unless Hermione was in a bind. Harry quickly assessed the situation and turned to Luna, "Go back to the Cave Luna, and start a fire and set some water to boil. I am afraid that Hermione is injured or something."

By this time Clandi returned from her flying over the lake and spoke to Harry, "_**Needa asked me to bring you to Hermione. She seems to be injured**_." With that Clandi extended her legs for Harry to grab on while hovering above him.

With a "Go Luna, we will be back as soon as we can" Harry was whisked away by the rapidly flying reptile intent on reaching the bond mate of his Human companion as fast as she could.

Seeing the bone protruding out of Hermione's arm, Harry was reduced to tears. The cut was not too much and would heal soon once mended but they were ill equipped to set the bone back. He was afraid that Hermione's arm would always be crooked if not set properly or worse she would lose it if not treated.

Harry gently lifted Hermione into his arms in a bridal carry. Clandi landed on his shoulders this time with one of her legs on each of Harry's shoulders. Taking care as to not injure him with her talons, Clandi tightened her grip on Harry and rose into the air with the aid of her powerful wings. With _Needa _sprinting on the ground below them, they made excellent time back to the cave.

Luna quickly tore a clean shirt into strips to use for cleaning the wound while Harry went out of the cave to look for a couple of sturdy sticks. Stripping them off the bark and smoothening them with a knife, Harry fashioned a crude set of splints for Hermione's arm. The warm water cleaned the dirt and most of the blood off the wound and thankfully the malnourished state of Hermione's body meant that only a very small amount of blood was lost before her magic reacted. Thanking the gods that Hermione was unconscious, Harry with Luna's assistance straightened Hermione's arm and pushed the bone back into place. Using the two sticks on either side of the arm, Harry tied them in place with strips of cloth to lock the bone in place and help in healing. Luna dressed the open wound carefully with more clean rags and that was the best they could do. Using a knife to cut away the bloodied shirt that went for a dress, Hermione was quickly divested of the only garment that went as a cover for their modesty and was moved onto the quilt that doubled as a mattress in warm weather.

The loss of blood and the shock of the injury caused Hermione to become delirious. She began calling out for her parents and her two companions. Harry and Luna decided to forego their lunch and removing the shirts that they were wearing, cuddled naked into Hermione to provide all the warmth and support they could. They reached into themselves and touched their magical core and willed their magic to heal Hermione. Their desire to help her jump started their magic and their dormant healing ability.

Unbeknownst to them, the cords of magical energy that originated from Harry's core began to lengthen and also grew thick. The two cords searched for their mates and finally connected with their counterparts in Hermione and Luna, the bond of friendship that existed between them finally strengthening into a much more powerful one. Harry's magic and consequently his life and soul, was now tethered to both Hermione and Luna. Luna's magic also connected to Hermione but this was through Harry as a conduit. The magical energy from both Harry and Luna began healing the broken bone and stitching the skin back to its former unblemished state.

The initiation of the bond between Harry and Hermione, and Harry and Luna was accompanied by a golden glow that encompassed the three children. _Needa_ and Clandi who though unable to assist the humans and were left watching from the sidelines were also drawn into the bubble and now added their magic to the healing process too.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In another realm, Lady Hedwig who was attending a gathering in the council of the immortals felt the pulse of energy that signified the initiation of a bond. Lady Hedwig was attuned to the magical pulses that emanated from all bonds and felt that this was different for any that she felt before. This bond spoke of mutual respect, admiration, trust and more importantly selfless love. Sadly the bond was formed out of desperation, adversity and strife in troubled times. She also knew that the bond was between three people with the male at the center of two different bonds and happily noted that there was no hint of jealousy between the two sister mates. The two bonds merged inside the male child to take the form of a soul bond, a very rare joining of body, mind and soul, and such an event between three was even rarer.

It was time for Lady Hedwig to travel to the mortal realm and lend her magic to strengthen the soul bond that will eventually lead to the end of the looming darkness. Bowing to _Srusthi_, _Laya_ and _Vinasa_ the three overlords of everything living, Lady Hedwig disappeared.

At the same time a white phoenix flamed into the cave in the middle of Gwydyr forest area in Northern Wales, in a flare of multicoloured fire. Settling on a rocky outcropping inside the cave, she sang in dulcet tones, the song full of life, health, rejuvenation, fertility and hope. Her magic ensured that the magical pulse that signified the initiation of the soul bond between Harry, Hermione and Luna was not recorded by any instruments and even the memory of the pulse was removed from all humans. To the rest of the sentient beings Lady Hedwig's song brought a promise of a better tomorrow and hope of equality, and they raised a toast to the future king.


	10. Chapter 10

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 10**

Nearly twenty four hours later the three children woke up to a cacophony of noises in their heads. Harry sat up and with a baleful glare at the harsh sun light that was streaming into the cave and clutched his head, "Ow! My head, I feel as if it's split by an axe and then put together in the wrong way" he moaned.

"Harry please" Hermione whimpered while Luna just curled up into a ball. She was also amazed to find that her broken hand had been healed without even a scar marring her pale skin; she instinctively knew that this was somehow a result of something amazing and that was the same reason for all the echoes of her friends' thoughts bouncing around in her head.

Harry chanced a glance at the two girls through half lidded eyes and moved to hug them both to his chest. All the three children could hear not only what the other was thinking in their minds but also could feel the extreme pain in their heads in addition to their own. The pain that Harry felt from Hermione and Luna added to his own splitting headache and made it unbearable for him and it was the same for the two girls.

"I can hear both _Needa_ and Clandi talking to me" Luna gritted out through clenched teeth. Even though being in Harry's arms brought some comfort to her, the incessant thoughts raging not only in her mind but also in Harry and Hermione's minds that spilled over into her own mind and added to all this, the concerned ranting of two familiars was unbearable. Luna was a little disturbed, she never learnt about hearing someone else's thoughts, she wondered if this was to do with their bond and being bond mates that _Needa_ mentioned about. Needless to say her raging thoughts brought pained protests from both Harry and Hermione.

Suddenly all talk ceased as a melodious trilling echoed in the confines of the cave. Usually an echo in a confined space would have been harsh and bothersome to hear, however the beautiful song soothed frayed nerves and aching heads while filling their hearts with peace, hope and love. The song amazingly stilled the thoughts too as everyone, children and animals alike were mesmerized and felt as if time stood still for everyone to enjoy the tune.

Reality returned to the cave after the song ended in a gentle crest that ceased abruptly. Harry and his girls were expecting to hear the notes that would signal the end of the song but were surprised when it did not continue and forced their eyes open. The song actually not only allowed them to block most of the thoughts from the others in the cave but also soothed their aches and rejuvenated them. The three children were amazed to see a milky white bird almost as big as themselves watching them with what could be considered as a smirk on its face. Instead of fear or trepidation of a very intimidating presence, they oddly felt comforted and safe.

Luna gasped at the site, "That's a phoenix" she breathed with amazement and a hint of reverence in her tone.

When her two friends demanded to know what a phoenix was Luna told them about the immortal bird that went through cycles of death and rebirth, how the tears of the phoenix have incredible healing powers, their ability to transcend distances in the blink of an eye and finally their unique ability to take people with them when they travel by phoenix flames. To say that Harry and Hermione were shocked at what they were hearing would be a gross understatement, what was more shocking to them was when the phoenix 'talked' to them.

The trill that sounded amused was followed by a mental communiqué that was similar to the one that Harry and Hermione were used to with their familiars. This time however all the three heard, "_**Yes, younglings I am a phoenix, my name is Hedwig.**_"

Though it was a thrill for them to hear the noble bird talking to them, they still clutched their heads and moaned in pain. They heard Hedwig again, "_**You need to touch your magical core and practice dampening your mate's thoughts, young ones and that is the only way that you can block the echoes from the others**__._" The three just nodded their heads not bothering to voice their words. Hedwig continued, "_**For now I will lend you my magic to block the echoes while you practice organizing your thoughts and construct mind shields so that you can successfully block the echoes while still be able to communicate with each other. This technique will also help you in keeping your secrets safe and also to block your thoughts from your enemies and in combat.**_"

When the three bond mates recovered sufficiently from the mental assault of their bond mate's thoughts, they went out of the cave to wash themselves up and also to forage for food. Hand in hand, the three friends went into the lake for their bath discarding their clothes at the bank, all the time they were exuberant about their new ability to communicate with each other non-verbally. They quickly recognized the unique benefit that could allow them to be in contact even over any distance all the while.

Back in the cave, _Needa_ recognized the brilliant white phoenix for who she was. It was after all the vision sent by the messenger of the gods that had led him to seek out Hermione and remain faithful at her side as a mentor, friend and familiar. So he spoke up including Clandi in the conversation, "_**Salutations O noble mother! It has been a very long wait for me to finally meet you.**_" Clandi did not know what to make of the greeting from her friend the Wolf Wrath but since the noble bird was called as mother and _Needa_ was almost prostrated before the phoenix, she copied his actions.

The phoenix gave a trill of acknowledgement, "_**Arise my children, you have been doing a fabulous job of taking care of the three chosen for greatness. You have my blessings, the road ahead is hard and difficult but at least not wrought with danger anymore**_" Lady Hedwig sighed.

Clandi was hesitant to butt into the conversation; the phoenix was obviously more than what she seemed to be but was undecided to bring the matter up. Sensing her hesitancy, Lady Hedwig soothed Clandi with reassuring words, "_**Do not fret my dear, you along with the children will be made aware of their true role in this world of ours and soon.**_"

Needa fretted around after her words, "_**Pardon my impertinence Lady, but not immediately? The younglings have faced true difficulties in this world that even I would have been frightened off, they need protection and a parental guide.**_" The Wolf Wrath was worried, it was not conducive to your living to encounter the anger of the gods but the sad smile and a pitiful trill from the magnificent bird calmed his nerves.

"_**Alas! The chosen three have just initiated a bond of true strength, love and sacrifice between their very souls. Right now they need to maintain contact and will crave for the presence of the other two. In addition, they have managed to tap into their magical core and released the bindings on them. They have managed to do it at a very young age and so will have to learn to control it, but the bond between the three might interfere with their magical training if not allowed to settle first. Even if I want to take them away and get their magical training started, the soul bond takes precedence and we will have to wait till they can temper their connection enough not to be overwhelmed by the thoughts of the other two mates**_" Lady Hedwig was remorseful; she did not see the trials and tribulations that the three children were forced to suffer but looking into their memories when she gave them her magic to shield their thoughts from the irritating echoes told her enough. She wanted to take them into her arms and soothe the ache, but revealing her true self right now will defeat the purpose as it was not her duty to train them. The three would have to learn the art of occluding their mind first otherwise the thoughts and emotions from the other two might disrupt their training. As they were already proficient in organizing their thoughts and able to touch their magical core, Lady Hedwig was confident that the Occlumency training and stabilization of their soul bond would not take long.

Meanwhile, she had a very important task to do. Angering the gods was not a good thing and this lady was fond of children, particularly orphans.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, May 1989**

Vernon Dursley was enjoying his Saturday morning cup of tea over the newspaper, his wife Petunia was bustling in the kitchen making his breakfast. Ever since the freak escaped his 'conditioning' the chores fell to his wife as their son had adamantly refused to do any manual labour. The freak of his nephew dared to run away after a well-deserved beating, he flexed his arm imagining the punishment he would deliver on the boy if he would see him again. He had no intention of taking him back; he was only worried about the three hundred pound maintenance allowance that he got every month for having the freak in his house. The bearded head freak of that school promised him the amount and never came back to check on his charge. Vernon chuckled to himself, all the better for him, he got extra cash which was very welcome to feed his strapping lad who was growing into a fine young man and if the headmaster never knew that his nephew was not around, good riddance.

The leisurely breakfast with his wife and son was interrupted with the doorbell blaring. Huffing at the inconvenience and muttering about "Blasted salesmen" Vernon went to open the door himself, he could never get his son to attend the door and he was proud that his nine year old was standing up for himself.

Opening the door all thoughts of a peaceful day went out the same door. Standing before him was a beautiful woman probably in her mid-thirties in a very smart business suit, the quality of which was well beyond his pay but he would kill for. Standing just behind the lady was a couple of policemen and another five near the squad cars parked near the kerb in front of his house.

Gulping down his fear he tried to puff out his chest and addressed the woman, "What can I do for you my dear Lady?"

"Mr. Vernon Dursley?" getting a nod in response she continued, "My name is Joanne AngelaMort an attorney for the Potter Trust. I am here to perform an audit of the money given to you for taking care of your nephew Mr. Harry Potter and to interview him regarding his living conditions." The tone of the voice told him that it was not a request but one which he better comply with and the colour drained from his face. Vernon's brain froze and in a moment of panic tried to slam the door in the face of the woman. His attempt was however thwarted by the policeman who lunged forward to block the door, the scene galvanized the other five policemen to rush into the house and the remaining one to report back to the station and call for forensic investigators.

Vernon staggered into the house from the force of the head constable's forceful entrance into the house and was quickly subdued while two lady officers went to Petunia's side. Dudley simply stared dumbfounded at what was happening around him.

Half an hour later, Vernon and Petunia Dursley were handcuffed and escorted out into the waiting squad cars while the entire neighbourhood stood watching. Vernon's sister Marge Dursley was called to take custody of Dursley but refused and so a couple of workers from social welfare were looking after his case. Apparently she was only willing to put up with the boy because of the freebies that she was getting from her brother. Now that Vernon was set to go to prison, Marge was not even willing to put up the amount for bail, not that he would be granted one due to the serious nature of the crimes.

The list of crimes was quite long and Joanne took great pleasure in reading them out in front of the whole neighbourhood. Petunia was charged with theft and fraud, child neglect, child abuse and reckless endangerment of a minor and accessory for murder of a minor. In addition to all the above crimes, Vernon was charged with attempt to murder and second degree murder. The police were sure that with no body to be found, the murder charge would not stick, but the other charges were enough to guarantee a long stay under her majesty's care especially as the crimes were against a child. Though it was disappointing, Joanne was not bothered as she was planning to deliver her own kind of justice, one that had the full backing of the so called higher powers. The Dursley estate was also seized to pay back all the money that was transferred from the Potter trust designated for the upkeep of Harry, one that was never done. The house which was actually Potter property would be given out for rent and all monies deposited into the Potter vault.

The Dursleys prided themselves to be 'normal' and that was the reason their 'freak' of a nephew was put through the wringer to make him normal. With their current predicament, they were anything but normal. Their humiliation was complete with their prideful neighbours blatantly whispering and pointing fingers and some of them even openly laughing at the couple.

Into this maelstrom of gawking people, an old man dressed in the most outlandish suit of the brightest purple and with a beard reaching his stomach, strode up to the chief inspector and Joanne. The man covered the distance between the far end of the street and number 4 surprisingly faster than his age would imply. It was glaringly obvious to the people knowing about the magical world that the old man's attempt was a transfiguration of his normal wizarding robes but was so out of fashion in the muggle world that the people congregated to see the spectacle could barely suppress their laughter.

Ignoring everything else, the old man reached the chief inspector and spoke in a tone that showed that he was used to people obeying him without a second thought, "Hello, can you tell me what these fine people did to be treated like common criminals?" As soon as the words left his mouth he knew that he made a mistake in implying that he was aligned with the Dursleys. The policemen immediately lost all geniality and their hands grasped the butt of the side arms still in the holster, ready to be pulled out at a moment's notice.

Joanne left the questioning to the chief inspector as she knew exactly who they were dealing with. This also gave her the chance to scan the headmaster's memories for any sign of wrongdoing on his part. Thankfully, for Albus Dumbledore that is, she did not find any malice, just an honest mistake in placing the toddler in an abusive home and he could honestly say that he did not know.

The chief inspector barked out in a tone dripping with anger and disgust at calling the captives as fine people, "Who are you and what is your involvement with this family?"

Albus Dumbledore was many things but a coward he was not. The no nonsense attitude of the police and the presence of the lady who was projecting an aura meant to intimidate gave him pause. He concluded that the lady was a representative of Gringotts or even a goblin under a glamour and that sent a shiver down his spine, it did not bode well if the goblins were directly involved in the muggle world regarding a client's affairs. He tried to squash his nervousness at the obvious hostility from the policemen and replied, "I am Albus Dumbledore and I am concerned with a young man named Harry Potter who lived with his aunt and uncle, who are apparently in your care now. I was friends with his parents and decided to look into his well-being when I heard about the trouble."

This concern about young Harry Potter above all else gave him the breathing space with the police. This time Joanne spoke up, "Mr. Potter has been missing for more than a couple of years now and presumed dead."

Dumbledore felt as if his world had crashed around him. He did not give due credence to the reports of abuse from the squib he asked to watch over Harry, he truly did not have the time to look into those reports. What with all the different positions he held and the trails of the captured death eaters he totally forgot to look into Harry's living conditions. That did not justify the lack of monitoring on the child he personally put up in what was now apparent to be an abusive home. Due to his actions or inactions, the savior of the wizarding world and the one who would have played a very important role in the triumph of good over evil was dead. He shuddered at the thought of a bleak future without Harry Potter in it.

His frantic musings were cut short by Joanne, "Mr. Dumbledore I know who you are and the role you play in this world. If we at the Potter trust find any evidence of your malevolent involvement in the present travesty we will bring the full force of the law upon you."

Dumbledore saw that the policemen were intrigued at the woman's outburst. His doubts were now confirmed though, he did not know that the conclusions he arrived at were wrong but was sure that there was a much higher authority at work, Ms. Joanne or Gringotts she was representing were not one to be trifled with. Dumbledore knew that he could escape any prosecution from the muggles but incurring the wrath of the goblins was never a good idea. He simply nodded his acquiescence and left the place, he had to hit the bottle hard and drown his pain in drink before reevaluating his options. His thoughts slowly turned to the predicament, Harry Potter may not be the child of prophecy. What would be the meaning of being a vanquisher if he died before confronting his destiny? The other boy born as the seventh month died, Neville Longbottom may be the one. The boy lost his parents to insanity and maybe that was the mark alluded to in the prophecy? But the boy was said to be nearly a squib and the world has to rely on him to take down the most feared dark lord in history. That thought did not bring him much cheer. Dumbledore sighed heavily before apparating to Hogwarts; he had to talk to Neville's grandmother and convince young Neville, condition him to start a training regimen once he began schooling at Hogwarts in about two years' time.

While the humans were distracted by the spectacle, Clandi under camouflage injected her venom into Vernon Dursley. The cry of pain from the heavy set man forced the police to call in the paramedics who would later on proclaim that the entire right side of Vernon's torso was paralyzed from the waist up to his neck. A stroke due to his obesity and high blood pressure was diagnosed to be the culprit, Clandi's venom undetected by the muggle forensics. Vernon would lose the ability to move his right hand seriously impairing his ability to feed himself, not that he would get a banquet where he would be incarcerated for life. At the same time _Needa_ planted a suggestion that would trigger if any of the three Dursleys would even think of bullying. The terror of the would-be victims would then be visited upon the bully amplified depending upon the seriousness of the incident. Justice in its primal form was served that day upon the family that forced a six year old child to abandon his refuge and brave the harsh world, a young one that would one day be the savior of not only the magical world but by extension the muggle world too.

Away from prying eyes, a grim faced Joanne AngelaMort changed into a brilliant white phoenix and flamed away from Little Whinging with Clandi clutched in her talons. A vengeful Wolf Wrath melted into the shadows to travel to a cave in Northern wales.

A little time later, Maggie Granger who was living in luxury due to her ill-gotten money meant for her niece was also arrested facing charges of reckless endangerment of a child and second degree murder. Hermione Granger was declared missing presumed dead in the ensuing investigation. Lady Hedwig with the help of Gringotts ensured that all the money bequeathed to their daughter by her parents was recovered from Maggie Granger's estate and insurance money. It was stored in a vault waiting for the day when the rightful owner would take her place in the wizarding world.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Gwydyr Forest Area, Northern wales**

**31****st**** July 1989**

The two months between Lady Hedwig's meeting with the three children and their ninth birthday was mostly filled with intense training in the mind arts designed to protect their memories and thoughts. Harry, Hermione and Luna were already able to touch their magical core and this ability was used to create strong mental shields that would block out even a determined attack to read their thoughts and memories. Under the expert coaching of the legendary messenger of gods, the three bond mates soon turned to be budding master occlumens.

Their ease in attaining a meditative state was quickly used to maintain near constant contact with their magical core and the three were quickly coached in connecting their magical core to their mental shields. It was never heard of, but the ability to fuel a person's mental shields with magic would give them constant and more importantly subconscious protection. The process was very draining, requiring a vast amount of magical power and the brutal strain was very easily seen on the three young ones, but Lady Hedwig was determined to make them the best. She knew that in their under-nourished state, the rigorous exercise would be fatal to them if continued without proper sustenance, which was sadly not possible in their current environment. Lady Hedwig was not worried though, their future was about to change drastically and for the better not only for Harry, Hermione and Luna but in a few years' time, the entire wizarding world.

The mental exercises combined with awakening their magical core from its slumber more than two years earlier than normal continued to take its toll on the three orphans. Though they had a plentiful supply of milk and fruit juice, the fish that they could catch in the nearby lake was their only source of meat. Though _Needa _and Clandi did their best to bring in occasional kill, it was not enough for three growing kids and the two animals. The one benefit they could agree on was that their mental communication gave them a sense of security and belonging that was even more apparent due to their bond. Without the annoying echoes, it was even enjoyable as there was no need to speak out loud even with their familiars and that also brought about closeness with it.

Before the happy event, all three knew that their friends would stay with them as promised, but the unspoken fear of loss was still present. With the formation of a three way soul bond between Harry, Hermione and Luna and after learning its significance, all three knew that the other would never leave them and this realization further deepened their friendship and began laying the foundation for a much more meaningful and anticipated relationship in the future.

The cave that they were staying in played host to all the six friends after what was a little more than meager lunch. The three children were irritable and grumpy, the lack of proper food clearly showing in their stunted growth and a lack of energy even after eating their lunch. They never considered that learning to use magic would be so demanding on their energy and if they had known about it, the bond mates might have reconsidered their decision to learn magic. A sense of foreboding began in their mind, a preying that slowly but surely began eating away at their confidence and sense of independence. They finally began to think that they might have to return to civilization or look for a better source of food, a place where they could at least hunt small game.

All this was not lost on the three animal friends, especially Lady Hedwig whose duty was not only to look after the children of the prophecy but also to ensure that they fulfill their destiny and save the world from potential annihilation. Seeing the baleful looks on the three children, and the knowledge that their bond has sufficiently stabilized, Lady Hedwig in her phoenix form decided that it was time for the next phase of their journey. Any further delay might be detrimental to the development of Harry, Hermione and Luna.

The trill of a soulful song from the phoenix roused the three children from their fitful slumber and also settled their troubled minds. They quickly lost themselves in the melody and a feeling of safety and new hope permeated their entire beings. When the song ended Harry, Hermione and Luna were startled to hear Lady Hedwig's greeting in their minds, "_**My children, on your birthday today you will begin a journey that will bring out your true selves and will be the start of your new lives. It will be a tough path but the fruits of your labour will be well worth the hardship. The journey that you will undertake will bring you hope, joy and more importantly to your true destiny. I sincerely hope that you will agree to undertake this**_" and she waited for a response.

All the three children were shocked to hear that it was their birthday; they really had no way to keep track of the days. Though they had some fond memories of the day, their birthday had lost any meaning for the three and especially for Harry who never knew when his birthday was till the arrival of Luna into his life.

Harry looked at his girls but their look told him that it was his decision. They agreed very early that he would be the head of their small house and all major decisions would be left to him though the two girls would always take part in the decision process. Harry ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "I will not lie but I felt that we were waging a losing battle staying here. I promised you both that I will protect you and always keep you safe. If this journey as Hedwig said is what is needed for me to learn how to protect you, then so be it. We have already faced many dangers and nearly died, if this gives us the means to overcome hardships then I am all for it. If what Hedwig said was true then I want the real life that I was meant to live and not this. I want to give both of you the lives you deserve."

Hermione and Luna were apprehensive of the change in their lives again but they also knew that it was getting to be really hard to even eat properly. Their decision made Hermione spoke up for both the girls, "Where ever you go, we go too Harry. If you are there, I have no fear."

The three children looked to the phoenix and Lady Hedwig gave a happy trill, "_**Very well my children. Collect all that you want to take with you and I will be back in a few minutes. Do not worry about taking the clothes or food that you have.**_" With that the phoenix flamed out of the cave.

The three children began to scramble thinking about what they would need to take with them. The shirts that were a few sizes too large and essentially covered them from the neck to their knee were the only thing that went as a wardrobe for them. Then there was the comforter that worked either as a mattress or a duvet depending on the weather. They were not needed now and so was the rune based cooler for their liquid food. Harry did not have any trinkets or keepsakes from his earlier life except for the backpack he got for his school needs. With the prospect of a new life, he did not want any reminders of his horrid past. Luna was the worst of the three in terms of possessions, she came into their family with literally the clothes on her back which were consigned to the elements a long time ago.

Hermione was torn between taking something as a reminder of their struggle to survive but also one of forged friendships and the urge to just get rid of their earlier nightmare of a life. Finally she agreed with Harry that they have something to look forward to rather than lament on lost childhood.

When Lady Hedwig flamed back into the cave she was really not surprised at the distinct lack of possessions to take on their journey. She was saddened by the fact that the three had their childhood cut so brutally short or in Harry's case, no childhood to speak of. That only increased her resolve to do her best to remove all the grime covering their character and polish them to shine like the gems they really were. Destiny aside, the three had a strong sense of righteousness and morals that would stand up to intense scrutiny. It was now her and her chosen to prepare the future leaders of the British wizarding world to meet their true destiny.

The departing party took their positions quickly, _Needa_ stood in front of the three children with Clandi perched on his back and hanging on. Harry had his arms around both his girls and clutched them to him tightly. Hermione stood on Harry's right with one of her hand holding his arm and the other holding Needa while Luna was on Harry's left with one of her hand clutching the tail feathers offered by Lady Hedwig and hanging onto Harry with the other in a desperate attempt to quell her apprehension about what they were to face.

At exactly three in the afternoon on July 31st, and in a burst of flames having all the colours of a rainbow, the cave that reverberated with the voices of three humans and two animals for almost ten months was suddenly silent. Along with the inhabitants, all traces of their habitation were also removed in the burst of Lady Hedwig's travel. The trees and other vegetation in the cave's vicinity rejoiced in the hope of a better life for their champion Luna Lovegood and her bond mates. Thus began the wait for better days free from terror or oppression, for everything magical on the island nation.


	11. Chapter 11

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 11**

The three bond mates hardly had time for their nerves to take toll on them before they were 'dropped' into a very well furnished room that was already occupied. What caught their attention however was that there were two distinct groups of adults probably waiting for something to happen and that occurrence was their arrival in a flash of rainbow flames holding onto Hedwig's tail feathers. The three children were suddenly overwhelmed by the presence of so many adults, especially Harry who was not so very trusting of adults and when the safety of his girls was concerned, he was ready to face overwhelming odds to protect them. As soon as their feet touched solid ground, Hermione and Luna let go of their previous anchors and latched onto Harry which only increased his distress. Sensing his agitation, Hedwig gave a trill that immediately calmed him and his bond mates, who felt his apprehension through their link, down.

Standing in the midst of all the adults in what was the parlour of a well decked manor house; Harry, Hermione and Luna were both amazed and also a little curious to see where they were brought to. The two groups of adults were standing a little apart and were also eyeing each other in appraising glances laced with inquisitiveness. In addition to being a few feet apart, the two groups were clearly distinguished by their attire. The bigger of the two consisting of four men and an equal number of women were only wearing what looked like a big piece of cloth, covering them from the neck to their feet and tied at places in intricate patterns. This probably allowed the cloth to stay in place without restricting either movement or air circulation while at the same time provided a lot of nooks and crannies, places to keep objects on them, doing the job of modern day pockets. The men were coloured in subdued shades and mostly devoid of any decoration except for a distinct emblem on their left breast which Luna supplied to be their house crest, while Hermione informed them that the cloth was called a toga and was worn in ancient times. The women however, were wearing togas in bright colours adorned with distinct patterns some of which the three children recognized as flowers, vines and even some strange caricatures of magical animals. They also sported the same house crest as the man on their right, who would probably be their respective husbands.

The smaller group consisted of two men and two women but they were randomly arranged unlike the pairing of spouses seen in the larger group. These were attired in robes albeit a little old-fashioned, if they could recognize that fact, like the ones that the bond mates found in the magical cottage that they stayed for a short time during winter the previous year. The slightly smaller woman with bright intelligence peeking through her clear brown eyes, surprisingly similar in colour to that of Hermione's eyes, looked like the leader as defined by her posture and position at the head of the group. The two men were standing alert and scanning the room, as if they were prepared to defend the two women from anyone who would dare to attack their group.

Harry felt as if they were witness to a standoff between the two groups but he could not detect any hostility from either group, only alertness. He did not get much time to contemplate these things as the phoenix that brought them to the strange place suddenly changed into a woman of uncommon beauty dressed in silvery white robes with an emerald green trim. The simple tiara on her head kept the transparent veil made of threads of Acromantula silk and washed in the rivers that flowed in the adobe of the three gods, in place. The veil would only be transparent to those that Lady Hedwig trusted and every one of those present in the room could see her angelic features.

As soon as the woman made her presence known, the men present in the larger group immediately bowed low while the women curtseyed. Bewildered at the gesture of respect and a little shocked by the sight of a magical bird changing into a woman before his very eyes, Harry also copied the men while Hermione and Luna curtseyed awkwardly, never being done before. This forced the four from the smaller group to copy their actions not to be left alone or to offend the obviously stately woman who commanded respect just by her bearing. Everyone could see that _Needa_ and Clandi were prostrated from the very beginning of her appearance.

"Well met my children please rise and let me introduce everyone so that we could get comfortable for the long discussion" the soft melodious voice cooled tempers and brought a feeling of trust among those assembled.

Looking around the assembled but directing her gaze to the three bond mates as if she was addressing them, Lady Hedwig proclaimed, "I am Hedwig, also known as 'fleet wings' in my other form and '_Vaartha Dhaari_' (Bearer of messages) in Elven tongue. I was distinguished as the messenger for the gods."

She slipped the last bit almost as an afterthought but brought the most visible reaction. That statement also differentiated between those who were in on the secret and who were not. The witches and wizards in the group of four visibly stiffened at that. Harry's brain took some time to process that statement and he could only look slack jawed at Lady Hedwig while the eyes of Hermione and Luna nearly popped out of their heads in astonishment. While it did look like Lady Hedwig was indeed one of the immortal ones or the gods due to her aura and stately manner, the idea of one such being in their midst was unlikely but even the skeptical ones held their tongue. The other eight merely nodded their heads in greeting and it was blatantly obvious that they were in on the secret which also lent some credence to the nature of Lady Hedwig for surely, human she was not.

Breaking the silence she began the introductions pointing to a man with dirty blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes, "This is Lord Atracus Frairwood and his wife the Lady Helga Frairwood our hosts and he is currently the king of the magical world."

That declaration saw some raised eyebrows from the four who were dressed in wizarding robes but held their peace while Lady Hedwig continued. Next in line was a man with raven hair and green eyes and singling him out she said, "This is Lord Fitzwilliam Griffter and his Lady Elizabeth Griffter; the man with brown hair and brown eyes is the Lord Raven Rowenger and his Lady Miriam Rowenger, and finally the man with red hair and black eyes is the Lord Julian Schlakett and his wife the Lady Fiona." The ones who were introduced intoned the words "Well met" while the apparent new arrivals could not make any sense of the greeting and merely nodded their heads in polite acknowledgement.

It was the turn of the new comers to be introduced and Lady Hedwig's attention was still directed towards the children. The expressions on the faces of the four were quite varied, even though curiosity was the overwhelming one, there was also a judicious mix of caution and even apprehension on the plump witch's face. She was having blonde hair and striking blue eyes that were unmistakably similar to those of Lord Frairwood and that realization was probably the reason for the mixed emotions. She was introduced as Lady Helga Hufflepuff. The name brought out a gasp of recognition from Luna who told her bond mates about the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry beforehand. The realization of being in their midst struck her speechless though.

The similarities in hair and eye colours were not lost on the woman with the intelligent brown eyes which were now sparkling with the light of comprehension. She took the initiative from Lady Hedwig and introduced herself, "If I may, my name is Rowena Ravenclaw and I am the de facto leader of our small group. Can you please tell me where we are and more importantly _when_ we are?" The emphasis on 'when' was not lost on anyone.

That question was met with stunned silence by her friends but elicited chuckles from the eight 'hosts' and Lady Hedwig. "Well-reasoned Lady Ravenclaw or should I say Lady Rowenger, please hold your peace and you will be told everything" Lady Hedwig pacified her thirst for knowledge and the desire to prove herself. With that it looked like the others have also cottoned onto what was happening but it was totally lost upon Harry, Hermione and Luna. So stunned were the other three in the newly arrived group that they barely responded to the others when they were introduced by Rowena Ravenclaw, "The green eyed wizard with black hair goes by the name Lord Godric Gryffindor and the red haired black eyed wizard is Salazar Slytherin."

Lady Hedwig lost her playful tone when she spoke of the three children, "These three waifs are the future of the wizarding world and are from the current year according to the time wheel. The young girl with the brown hair and brown eyes is Hermione Jane Granger and the blonde haired blue eyed girl is Luna Celeste Lovegood. They are soul bond mates of His Majesty Lord Harrius James Potter the ruler of everything magical on the British isles."

The sheer shock value of that statement brought Harry out of his stupor, "I am no king; I am a freak, a lonely boy who was of no use to his aunt and uncle. My only friends are here beside me; Hermione and Luna. How can I be a king when I was even unable to find food for my friends?" he stuttered through his shock and nervousness. Even the calming presence of Luna and Hermione through their bonds, sending their support did little to calm him down.

Teary eyed the adults in the room looked at the clearly distraught boy with sympathy and even pain. They could not help but curse the guardians that brought pain to their kin. Some of them knew about the fate of their descendants as they were warned by Lady Hedwig about the prophecy and their own decisions to safeguard their heritage after the warnings given by Lady Frairwood. They never expected that there would come a moment in their lives when they would meet the ones that were chosen to face a grim destiny. Lord Frairwood's was the last term before the next generation would take up the reins of ruling over the magical land and the arrival of the chosen three now meant that they would have to hasten their own withdrawal from public life and let their children take precedence.

The moment was broken by the arrival of a few platters of food and drink, carried into the room by a few people who were clearly helpers or servants in the house. Through his anger and ache, Lord Frairwood invited everyone to take their seats around the room according to their convenience.

Harry plopped down wearily into a cushioned chair and immediately the girls also sat on the same chair while clutching onto Harry and due to their small size they could sit without any discomfort in the one that would have seated a large man quite comfortably. This action did not go unnoticed by the adults and the sight of three children seated on a single chair further emphasized the emaciated condition of the bond mates.

The helpers moved around the seated adults allowing them to partake from the foods presented but upon a gesture from Lord Frairwood, they left the platters on a small table in front of the kids and left the room. He correctly guessed that they would probably be famished and true to his belief, Harry and his girls felt that the meager portions they had for lunch were a distant dream. Even then Harry made no move to pick the food to eat, he was not sure yet that this was not an elaborate conspiracy to somehow harm them, but the feeling of hunger coming from the girls on his side forced him to get up from the chair. He first filled two plates of meat and put them before their familiars before filling a large plate with an assortment of available food and went back to sit, the girls not willing to move from the safety of Harry's arms.

After living mostly on fish and berries helped along by fruit juice and occasionally milk, any change in their diet was bound to be grabbed by both hands. To their credit despite the urge to stuff their mouths, the three children had perfect table manners even though they were sharing the same plate and eating with their hands due to a distinct lack of silverware. The four Hogwarts founders had a little trouble with the thought of eating with their hands but adjusted quite quickly much to the pleasure of the hosts.

Seeing the restrained way that the kids were eating even with the desperation to eat as much as they could before the food finishes egging them on, the hostess Lady Frairwood spoke up, "Do not worry children; there is more where that came from. Please do not worry about running out, eat your fill."

Embarrassed at being caught out so easily the three gave her a grateful smile and with a nod of thanks resumed eating at a sedate pace, mindful of retaining the eaten meal in their stomachs.

Lady Hedwig who was only partaking of the meal out of courtesy to the humans sought to assure the confused children, "Harry, Hermione, Luna you do not have to worry among these adults here. Everyone belongs to your family, they are here to protect you, train you and generally ensure that you have a good life."

Swallowing the bite that was in his mouth, Harry voiced the question that was ringing through his bond with the girls, "Family? How are they family? I know for sure that mine and the girls' parents are dead." This was said with overwhelming sorrow that threatened to spill out in tears if not for the soothing presence of the girls beside him both physically and in his bond. If this was some sort of a joke, then it was done in a very bad taste, to get their hopes up and then crush them down was nothing short of blasphemy.

Here Lord Rowenger smiled at the assembled group and looking at the woman named Rowena Ravenclaw said, "This may be the right time to answer your question Rowena. May I call you Rowena?"

Lady Rowena Ravenclaw smiled, "If I am reading the situation correctly, you may be my many time great- grand father. So, of course you can call me Rowena and I am sure that I speak for my companions too." This declaration was upheld by voices of agreement from the other three in her party eliciting smiles all around.

"As for where, this is a community of both magical and non-magical humans and other life forms. We are situated among the mountains on the northern part of the small peninsular land that is a part of the larger island to the north of the huge landmass that we broke away from." The explanation given by Lord Rowenger was more confusing that he probably intended to but without any reference to names that were known by the people from the future, he was as confused about explaining to them as were the listeners.

Lady Hedwig gave a small laugh that oddly resembled to a trill of amusement when in her phoenix form, "This is almost exactly the site that you have used to start building the castle to host your school. The remnants of this community will be known as the settlement of Hogsmeade during your time."

All those present were presently surprised; even Harry, Hermione and Luna who barely understood the significance of that statement felt something of a belonging at that revelation. Rowena laid it out plainly for the benefit of others, "So we are in Scotland and clearly we are sometime in the past. The question is when?"

"That is a question that we have no idea how to answer" Lord Griffter acknowledged.

"Maybe you can tell us what year this is" Lord Gryffindor interjected helpfully. Lady Ravenclaw and Lady Hufflepuff could not contain their snorts while Lord Slytherin rolled his eyes unabashedly at his 'leap before you think' friend.

Even Lady Hedwig was unsure how to answer that, "Even though it was my duty to watch over the mortal world for the chosen three, time has no concept to us. Only the heavenly bodies and their survival matters for us."

Lady Schlakett supplied, "While I can guess that this 'year' you are talking about is a measure of time passed, we have no reference to that. We do follow the Sumerian way of using the moon cycle to count the passage of time. One complete moon cycle forms our '_Maasam_' (in Elvin Tongue) comprising of roughly thirty of the solar cycles."

"By solar cycle you mean the time it takes for the sun to rise, set and then rise again or what we call one day?" Lady Ravenclaw interrupted her explanation.

Nodding at the new name, day, given to their solar cycle Lady Frairwood took up the explanation, "Twelve of such '_Maasam_' cover the duration of the changing seasons and we call that a '_Yadaadi_' which covers the entire seasonal cycle. We add a few extra days to cover the minor differences in the changing of the seasons and that would give us a total of about 370 of your solar days."

This time around Lady Hufflepuff took up the explanation, "We follow the modern Julian calendar and it is based on the sun rather than the moon. What you call a '_Yadaadi_' is our year and we consider 365 days as comprising one year."

There were murmurs as the two groups discussed what they learnt and tried to decide on how to use this to convey the time period that they were now in. Harry and his girls were trying their best to follow the conversation and going by their expressions they were mostly out of the loop but still got the gist of the talk.

Lady Ravenclaw, ever the intellect gave an easy way to solve the problem, "Maybe you could tell us about a major geographical event that occurred in your time frame and I can work it to our understanding."

Lord Rowenger the connoisseur of knowledge in their group offered a tidbit, "The Island that we live on separated from the great landmass to the south of us about 5000 years ago."

Everyone even Harry and the girls turned to Lady Ravenclaw who sighed in amused exasperation, "As much as I pride myself in knowledge, I do not have any reference to that fact." That admission brought snickers from Lord Gryffindor who was rewarded with a slap to the back of his head for his efforts.

Lord Rowenger turned pensive for a few minutes before brightening, "I am not sure if the shrine of worship still exists in your time but the 'Stanhen Gist' was started about a thousand years ago and only finished a few years ago."

Seeing the bewildered looks among the audience he essentially described what is today known as Stonehenge or the shrine of hanging stones. Surprising everyone it was Luna who spoke up, "Oh my! The Stonehenge was completed sometime around the 2000 BC. Does this mean we are in 2000 BC?"

Every one of those from the future boggled at that information. "Oh my indeed" were liberally thrown in.

"For us the Stonehenge was finished roughly 3000 years ago; we are from the year 963 AD" Lord Slytherin supplied for the benefit of everyone.

Harry managed to recover from his surprise faster than the two girls and blurted out, "We are more than a 1000 years after that. We came from the year 1989 AD."

While this information was being processed Lady Griffter wanted to know, "What is the meaning of this BC and AD?"

"Oh! Our notation of the era was around an event of crisis that had a significant impact on the wizarding world, the death of Merlin. He was the one who was thought to be the greatest wizard of modern times. The year he died was labeled as the year 0. The years that followed are termed as AD or after the death of Merlin" Lady Rowenger prided herself in explaining things logically for the benefit of everyone present.

Hermione however poured cold water over her silent exaltation, "I learnt that AD was due to the death of Christ."

Three of the four founders of Hogwarts along with Luna were puzzled over this but as expected Lady Ravenclaw had an explanation, "Ah! Strictly speaking in Christian religion, AD means 'Anno Domini' or 'the year of our lord', the man who was purported to be the son of god. Jesus Christ lived about the same time as Merlin died, within the year at least. Followers of that religion use the birth of Christ as the event while we in the wizarding world use the death of Merlin." Hermione accepted the explanation from the woman who she was beginning to believe was her ancestor. Lady Ravenclaw finished her explanation, "The years before the crisis for the wizarding world or before the Birth of Christ in the non-magical world are termed BC."

"Wait a minute" Lord Slytherin who was quietly following the discussion all along exclaimed, "If we are in the year 2000 BC how are we able to understand them, come to think of it is Old English still used in the future?" this was directed at the three kids sitting in the chair cuddling.

Harry shook his head in the negative answering the question about Old English, he was the history buff and with nothing to do during the winter in the cottage, he read a lot of history. "The language that is called Northumbrian Old English had evolved through the years mostly from various other languages, notably Latin and Gaelic. We do not speak Old English but what is called Modern English, it is a far cry from the language of your time. If I am not mistaken, our hosts would speak some version of the language used by Sumerians or even the Akkadian. I am not sure that English was even born at this time but all this time we were hearing the words spoken in Modern English." He fell silent with a shrug of his shoulders.

"… and we in Old English" agreed Lord Slytherin.

Lady Hedwig offered the reason for this, "My magic allows you to communicate in your native tongue but is understood by the others in their own language. It may be a good idea for you to learn the language of this period for easy communication."

Lord Griffter disagreed though, "It may be better to learn the Elvin Tongue, as we interact with a lot of non-humans too and it is an accepted and well respected medium of communication among all magical beings." That suggestion was quickly agreed upon.

There was a lull in the conversation as everyone finished the food that was currently on their plates and moved to partake of the liquids. Harry and the girls wanted to get a taste of tea which they lacked for more than a year but they found out that tea was not even known at that time, instead there was a Goblin made brew which was stronger than fruit juice but was still safe for children to drink.

"Now for the real reason why we are all assembled here" Lady Hedwig spoke after a few minutes of silence. "Harry, Hermione, Luna, you three have a very important role to play in your lives. You, Harry are meant to be the ruler of all of magical Britain as your birth right. The girls are also descended from the ruling families but they cannot be the rulers, only help you if you decide so."

Even before the girls could utter a word, Harry was nodding his head vigorously, "I made a promise to these two; I will take care of them for as long as I live. I am smart enough to know that they are my only family and I would be foolish if I do not take their help."

Hearing such mature words from the mouth of a nine year old was disconcerting to the adults but before anyone could comment, Lady Frairwood stiffened in her seat and went prophetic on them, "You four are brothers in all but blood" this was said pointing to the four Lords and then pointing to the four founders of the wizarding school she continued, "you four are closer than siblings" finally pointing to Harry she finished, "through his loins the four families will be brothers in blood."

Hermione and Luna blushed brightly and though Harry was confused he got a glimpse of what the statement meant through the bond because of the churning imagination of the two girls. He tried in vain to look nonchalant but the rapidly developing redness on his cheeks betrayed his emotions which in turn deepened the blush on the girls' faces. By now all the adults were laughing at the discomfort of the kids while Hermione and Luna were trying to bury deeper into Harry's embrace. The winning emotion though was that of relief, relief at the knowledge that their lineage and heritage was safe in the hands of the three kids in their midst.

Distress was written all over Lord Griffter's face as he assumed the implication of what he heard, "… But there are only three children present. Does that mean one of our families is lost?"

That sentiment was echoed by the others as they recognized that fact but they were calmed immediately by the assurances of Lady Frairwood that she saw that all the four royal houses were represented in the future. She did not know how as only three kids were present but all their four families definitely continued.

Lady Hedwig cleared her throat to get the attention of those present. She addressed Harry, Hermione and Luna directly, "It is time for you to know your heritage young ones, and your acceptance means the survival of the magical race in the future. You Harry James Potter are the king by your birth right; you will learn about this during your stay here and also train to fulfill your destiny. First a lesson in history" she began talking about the act of the gods to bestow magic to humans in order to prevent fights between the different races and establish peace and because of that the origin of the 'First Four' royal houses.

Though not in exact terms, she briefly alluded to a bleak future and the existence of a prophecy that foretold the birth of three that would bring back peace and equality to the magical world. When questioned about the prophecy, Lady Hedwig promised that they will know about it when the time was right. She then started to talk about the families themselves and the future they faced.

"Since this is his house, I will start with Lord Frairwood. His family was mainly involved in arts, entertainment and making tools for different trades, his house was the only one of the four that survived untarnished. Many generations later, only a daughter remained and she married into a family named Hufflepuff and their daughter is present here." Singling out Lady Hufflepuff she continued, "You Helga Hufflepuff are named after the Lady of your original house, Lady Helga Frairwood. After you, the family was represented mostly by daughters and ultimately only one daughter survived by the year 1987. She is also present here, Luna Celeste Lovegood, the daughter of Lady Celeste Marie Johnson-Hufflepuff and Xenophilius Augustus Lovegood."

There was a small reunion of sorts when the Lord and Lady Frairwood got up and embraced Lady Hufflepuff. They came to Luna and gathered her in their embrace too but she refused to sit with them sticking to cuddle into Harry.

"It was the same with Lord Rowenger too as his family was represented mainly by daughters and after Lady Ravenclaw's time, the curse you invoked to protect the magic in your family came into effect. Lady Ravenclaw's daughter gave birth to the first non-magical daughter and she was an only child. This trend of non-magical children continued till the time of Hermione Jane Granger, who was the first magical born into your family after nearly a thousand years. She was born to the great granddaughter of the one who was the last to carry the name Ravenclaw." Hugs were exchanged and Hermione rejoined Harry and Luna on the chair they occupied.

Lady Hedwig had a funny expression on her face; it was a mixture of exasperation, amusement and a fond smile. "You Harry James Potter were a unique individual. You were not only the only one to survive the killing curse" gasps were heard all around the room at that declaration "but also the only one to have two fathers by blood."

Everyone looked at Harry gob smacked. Harry managed to sputter, "How is having two fathers possible?" while Lord Slytherin wanted to know how he survived the killing curse.

Lady Hedwig raised her hand to command instant silence, "I will talk about your family or rather families first. You were born to Lord James Charlus Potter and Lady Lily Constance Potter nee Evans and named Harris James Potter. A few minutes after your birth your godfather Sirius Atracus Black, had a premonition that he would not survive very long and so adopted you by a blood ritual changing your name to Harrius James Potter- Black. Your father and Mother were murdered by the known last descendent of Lord Slytherin here, he named himself Lord Voldemort but was born Tom Marvolo Riddle. He was the child of a non-magical woman Merope Gaunt of magical parents descendent from the Slytherin line and a gentleman of no magical history Tom Riddle senior. When he turned to kill Harry however, the gods lent him their protection and the curse back fired on Lord Voldemort killing his body but not his magical essence. At the same time Sirius Black was also killed leaving Harry an orphan at the age of fifteen months."

Harry knew all this time that he was an orphan and he also endured the torture in his life without much protest or even a whimper, but hearing the events of that night now broke the dam. Sobs wracked his body and his anguished cries brought the other ladies to tears too, even the men were hard pressed to stem their tears. Hermione and Luna were no better, with tears running freely down their faces, they held Harry in their embrace. He was their rock during all the times they were in pain and now it was their turn to comfort their man.

"Why did I not die that night with my parents? Why was I saved? If I died I would not have had to live in a hell for more than five years. Why? Why?..." Harry's cries moved the ladies to comfort him but Hermione and Luna refused to let him go and so they were left to encircle all the three.

Lady Hedwig tried to soothe the ache, "Your relatives have been punished for their actions Harry. You are a good person, take heart in the fact that your parents loved you and tried their best to protect you, live for them."

Even that did not stem the tide. It was left to Hermione to calm him down, "Harry, if you did not survive that night, Luna and I would not have survived to this day. Do you think that without you taking care of us, we could have lived after our own parent's died? You helped us a lot Harry, you promised to take care of us and you did. Now let us _be_ the family that you wanted all along, let us help you through your pain Harry."

Slowly the cries subsided, though the hurt was not gone, the pain receded. The promise of a family to look forward to brought out a tremulous smile on Harry's face. To break the awkward moment, Lord Rowenger wanted to know how the man known as Lord Voldemort did not die that fateful night. Lady Hedwig however left that for another day. The answer was the same when the others wanted to know more about the lives of the three children, they were to wait for another day for those details.

Lady Hedwig took up the history of the two remaining families, "Your decree for brothers in your family to take new names to protect themselves came into effect from the time of your grandson. His two sons split your name, Lord Griffter right down the middle and took the names Gryffindor and Potter for themselves. Both Lord Gryffindor and Harry here are true heirs to your name from father to son. There was a day when the last surviving heir in the Gryffindor family was a daughter and all your heirs knew about the effort and the need to do everything they could to save the family heritage and so the last Gryffindor daughter married into the Potter line thus merging the two families into one again. Harry Potter was the last heir in your family My Lords."

"The history of Lord Schlakett however was not so rosy. Due to their participation in the political battles, they made quite a few enemies and the last surviving heir changed his name to Slytherin to escape the bloodshed. The family bred true till Lord Salazar Slytherin. Your doctrine of segregating magical heritage away was later perverted by your descendants to a 'Pureblood Supremacy' doctrine."

"I told you that your idea of separating the magical children from their non-magical parents was a bad idea Sal" Lady Helga Hufflepuff nearly bit off Lord Slytherin's head during her tirade.

"But I only wanted to ensure that the magical child would not be mistreated by their non-magical parents. I never wanted them to be prosecuted" Lord Slytherin protested.

Lady Hedwig interrupted the fight that was sure to break out, "I will dwell on this matter in detail later as the kids need to understand the philosophy Lord Voldemort operated on, but suffice to say that you were blamed for instigating the annihilation of all those who were not worthy of learning magic due to their impure blood. These included children of non-magical parents, sentient non-human beings including goblins, low elves, centaurs and many others."

Everyone was horrified by the grim picture being painted. Lady Hedwig continued with the history of the Schlakett family, "Lord Slytherin, your great grandson through your daughter was led to believe that blood supremacy was the only way forward and when your grandson through your son and his family tried to stop him, they were nearly wiped out. The surviving heir changed his name to Black, based on the colour of his father's beard. His family flourished but was always in conflict with the followers of your daughter's grandson who bore the name Slytherin. That line finally gave birth to the terror that was known as Lord Voldemort who claimed to be the last descendent of Lord Slytherin and propagated the blood purity genocide. Though the roots of their family were kept a closely guarded secret, the Black line was decimated in the ensuing feud to only one survivor, named Sirius Black."

"So Harry is my true heir not this Tom Riddle fellow" Lord Salazar Slytherin wanted to be absolutely sure.

Lady Hedwig confirmed his assessment, "Yes and when Harry claims his birthright he will be the sole ruler of magical Britain leaving Lord Voldemort without the political clout. Hopefully through his beautiful ladies he will revive the 'First Four' and royal houses back to their rightful place again."

Leaving all decorum all the adults cheered loudly and toasted Lady Hedwig's proclamation while Hermione and Luna wore bright smiles and tightened their arms around Harry who was blushing furiously. His eyes though were shining with new found hope, though it was definitely a long time away, a future with Hermione and Luna in it was definitely looking good to him.

Everyone grew silent when they saw the sadness in Lady Hedwig's eyes. When pressed to talk about the reason Lady Hedwig sighed, "Harry actually died for a short time that night." Ignoring the shocked faces she continued, "Even though Harry's magical core should have formed by that time, it was not sufficiently established. The magic from the Schlakett family due to the blood adoption ritual and the Griffter family magic by birth were trying to find a middle ground so that they could intermix and form a new magical signature different from either parent. This was the only possible outcome of the blood adoption ritual, but that would have meant that the magic of two of the royal families would have been lost forever."

Harry's eyes widened at the implication, his godfather's desire to protect his family magic would actually have ended two royal houses, while the adults looked grim. Lady Hedwig tried to assuage them, "We do not know how long it would have taken for the magical core to form, or if it would have remained in that undecided state forever until he had two sons and each of the family magic was passed to them. Since it involved two royal lines and it was done with the best of intentions, nature or magic would have ensured their continuation. However, being hit with the killing curse and aided by the ritual performed by his mother, Harry's magical core dissipated throughout his body to protect him on that Halloween night. Later when the stress was relieved, his magic began coalescing but was confused due to the presence of two distinct and powerful signatures, the solution presented itself. Instead of one core, Harry now housed two distinct magical cores, one core from the Griffter, Gryffindor and Potter line and the other from Schlakett, Slytherin and Black line."

"It's impossible!" the scholars in the group Lord Rowenger and Lady Ravenclaw exclaimed in unison.

"No its Harrius James Potter- Black" quipped Lady Hedwig in an uncharacteristic display of levity.

A short round of laughter followed broken by a pensive Harry, "So, to sum up we three carry all the four lines and our children will one day restore the royal lines to their rightful glory." By now he felt it easy to accept that he was going to marry Hermione and Luna one day and truth be told he was actually looking forward for that day.

Cries of "Hear! Hear!" chorused around the room.

The end to their meeting was signaled by the arrival of one of the servants with a call for dinner. By this time the three children were tired by the varied emotions they endured throughout the recital, Hermione and Luna more so than Harry and were ready for bed. Declining the invitation for dinner the three of them followed Lady Frairwood to one of the many rooms in the manor accompanied by the other ladies except Lady Hedwig who remained behind to talk to the men.

They were led into a fair sized room tastefully decorated. "This is your room Harry and that door leads to the bathroom. You may want to clean yourself up before you go to sleep; there are some clothes in the closet that may fit you. Now girls…"

She was interrupted by the sight of Hermione and Luna unceremoniously dumping the dirty shirt they were wearing and entered the bathroom followed by Harry. Before the ladies recovered from their surprise and entered the bathroom, Harry already disrobed and along with the girls stepped into the bath tub that was rapidly filling with warm water. They were astounded to see Harry lovingly wash the girls' hair; remove any tangles in them taking care not to cause any discomfort. After a quick but thorough wash, they wrapped themselves in towels and returned to the bedroom.

Sitting on the large bed, Harry again helped the girls to dry their hair and after drying themselves prepared for sleep. Putting the towels away, they ignored the fresh clothes laid out for them and climbed back onto the bed without a stitch of clothing. Assuming their usual positions; Harry in the middle, with Hermione on his right and Luna on his left cuddling into him, pulled the warm duvet to cover them all. With his arms around his girls pulling them securely into him, all three promptly fell asleep.

The watching adults were left shaking their heads with conflicting emotions written all over their faces, sadness was mixed with pride. Sorrow due to the fact that the children had to grow up fast and take care of themselves but proud too that they could take care of each other even without the presence of an adult. The six ladies went to join the men and Lady Hedwig for dinner before meeting again to iron out the details regarding what was required to teach and train the kids, a meeting that went long into the night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The time frame given for the event that led to the formation of British Isles after drifting from mainland Europe was between 10,000 and 5,000 BC. I used an arbitrary figure of 7000 BC for the event. The Stonehenge was purportedly started around 3000 BC and it took nearly a thousand years to finish. The old world English name for Stonehenge is 'Stanhen Gist' which means Hanging Stones. The Akkadian language was thought to have originated from ancient Sumerian and was prevalent during 2000 BC. I am not sure if it was used in the British Isles or Europe too. The Sumerians of Babylon do have a lunar calendar though their version is thought to be inaccurate. We in India use a corrected lunar calendar for all religious purposes and auspicious events; my use of the names for the month and year according to the Lunar calendar are based on an Indian language and not random. In fact the words I am using that as part of Elvin Tongue are actually from my native language from South India.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 12**

The first month in the old era was painful for the three bond mates, especially for Harry. Being in a state of malnutrition forced their magic to compensate to provide the required energy for daily needs and actually left their physical development grossly underachieved. The girls having come from a loving household had a relatively normal growth for the first six to seven years and then immediately forced to rely on their still latent magic to meet their daily energy needs, definitely not an ideal situation for physical development. For Harry it was not just the malnutrition, but also the abuse to his body had a detrimental effect on his growth and normal development. Forced not only to rely on his magic to compensate for energy needs, Harry's magic was also forced to treat numerous broken bones, bruises and general upkeep of his health. Thanks to his dual cores, Harry was able to survive and maybe even thrive in the trying circumstances he was forced to endure.

With adequate care and nutrition now available to him, his body was able to actually not use his magic for normal development but rely on the daily nutrition he was now getting. That also had a downside, as his core was used to output quite a bit of energy every minute of every day and now had all the extra energy to expend. The magical core was not designed to burn of excess energy like a boiler giving off heat, but was meant to save the life of the wizard or witch with sustenance when food was not available. Now that Harry had enough nutrition to not only survive but afford the body to repair and grow, his magic was unleashed without a defined use causing him enormous pain. Added to that, he was being treated for his broken bones and also the effects of long term malnutrition corrected, all the ministrations were causing him to gain height and weight at an accelerated pace adding to his pain.

If he was restricted to a single core like normal magicals, down-regulating the fledging magical core would not have been a problem as it could have been drained every few hours by siphoning it into ward stones or some such sinks. Having two different magical signatures meant that they were not sure which of the cores, was being actively drained. Using two different ward stones was a risk as the drainage might have been too much for the body to be left without enough free magic to be used if and when needed. Binding the core was not an option as Harry's magic was still needed for the start of his training which was scheduled to begin after about a month of treatments. Having dual cores also meant that both his cores would have to be bound, the results of that were unknown as there was no precedent for such an occurrence. Besides, there was always the risk that one of the two cores would have gained in strength when the other was pushed to the background, as it was almost impossible to ensure that the binding be exactly the same for the two cores. Finally it was decided to let things be as they were and Harry had to just grit his teeth and endure, the pain from not only the turbulent magic but also the process of breaking his bones and re-aligning them or simply repairing the damage to his skeleton.

Hermione and Luna also had to endure some discomfort due to their own magic which was being unleashed free but thankfully, the damage to their own bodies was not too much, at least not on the scale comparable to Harry's. However, Harry's own agony was felt through their bond. While their occlumency training reduced the pain to just an echo, their own pain due to the treatments increased it to a point that took it to unbearable heights for the girls. They were able to easily manage their own misery but were horrified about the pain that Harry had to endure making it that much difficult for the three bond mates to comfort each other. Still, as used as they were to making the best of what they were given, enduring the month of treatment was a difficult thing for the children.

The adults tried to offer them all the comfort they could by providing all their needs within arm's reach but could do nothing to reduce their pain as any medication would have interfered with all the corrective measures the body was undergoing. The girls became clingier and were almost always wrapped around Harry both for their own comfort and to let Harry know that they were there for him, which he was sure to thank them for both in words and actions. Their support became all the more important for Harry as he never knew a compassionate adult figure in his short life and so was not very receptive to the ladies attempts to offer comfort. The girls knew their parents and so were not so easy to accept the newly found relatives but were at least more open to their advances, recognizing their love for them.

All this started even before dawn the very next day they arrived at the new timeline. The concerned adults hurried the three who refused to be carried there, to what looked like a hospital ward. If it was a hospital, it was unlike any that Harry or Hermione had seen, there were no complicated instruments or the dull throb associated with sterilized air conditioning. The only evidence of it being a treatment room was the cleanliness everywhere that was generally associated with the hospitals. Even Luna was apparently caught unawares, but her confusion was more centered on the presence of tiny winged creatures that were busily hovering around beds with patients or ferrying things from a separate room into the general ward.

The presence of these tiny creatures that had remarkable angelic faces with piercing eyes of indigo that looked to be scanning your very soul, more than anything else convinced Harry and Hermione that magic was indeed real and they were in an era that had a remarkably divergent variety of magical creatures. Whatever they have read or told by Luna could be classed as the work of fiction or fantasy but the sight of these flying humanoids just short of a foot in height, went far more than even a bird that turned into a Lady claiming to be a messenger of the gods.

While they were waiting to be acknowledged by whoever was in-charge of the facility, Harry looked around the place. All the beings had gentle flowing hair as vividly coloured as the humans around them, but the most distinguishing feature were the tiny nearly transparent wings, greyish in colour, much like that of a dragonfly. The faces were also like that of humans and apparently both the sexes were present among them, but even the males were far more handsome than ordinary humans, even reaching what could be said as to be a picture perfect face. It was really difficult for the newcomers to discriminate between males and females just by their faces alone owing to the near perfect features on both.

One of the creatures, a female by the curves she sported, saw their group and gasped. She immediately beckoned another one, this one a male and whispered something in his ear eliciting another gasp from the male and with a quick glance towards them, sped away in a rapid flutter of his wings as if the fires of hell were behind him.

Before anyone could react, a regal looking pair, with what was obviously their entourage, entered from the same door that the messenger left the room. The pair of them approached the still standing group and Hermione suddenly squealed like the little girl she was and tried to cup the flying being in her hands. It was a strange sight as the clearly excited girl did not look much bigger than the being she was trying to cuddle, the lack of proper nourishment during her growing phase making a clear difference, a wrong that everyone present there were determined to correct.

"Ooh! What a cute one you are" she purred in what went for her baby voice.

With Lady Hedwig's return to her heavenly abode, it was left to the ladies of the 'First Four' houses to act as guides and take them around. All the four ladies who were acting as hostesses to the newcomers were clearly mortified and began to attempt an explanation while the husband of the little lady in Hermione's hands was trying to hide his snigger behind his hands.

Lady Rowenger recovered quickly and tried to explain, "Hermione, you are trying to pet the Queen of the Fairies, Her Majesty Urvasi."

Hermione was mortified, with crimson cheeks and the beginning of tears in her eyes she tried to stammer out an apology while desperately trying to think a way of letting the Queen go without offending her. The calming thoughts and support being sent by Harry and Luna did little to soothe her, as Luna was also confused at hearing that the beings were Fairies. Luna could not warn Hermione as she could not identify them for who they were and so could do little to placate Hermione's distress rather she settled on just calming her down. Harry was also at a loss, he desperately wanted to hug the embarrassment out of Hermione but was reluctant to do so in the presence of the King and Queen of Fairies who were apparently the doctors in this world.

To her credit, Queen Urvasi did not bat an eye at being held in a loving embrace. She sensed the humiliation that Hermione was feeling and the tears ready to fall, and tried to put her at ease. She threw a playful glare at her chortling husband and spoke in dulcet tones, "Oh! Do not fret my dear princess Hermione. I do like to rest my wings from time to time" and to prove her point, she freed herself off Hermione's gentle grip and landed on her shoulder. The friendly gesture went a long way to calm the girl and even elicited a giggle when the beating wings tickled her still reddened cheeks.

Luna apologized for her, "Please pardon my sister mate My Queen. She was never exposed to the magical world in the real sense till now. Even though I grew up hearing stories of Fairies, I was unable to identify you as such and so could not warn her in time."

The King waved his hand dismissing her apology, "Phish-Posh my dear Princess Luna! It is refreshing to encounter someone who does not put on frills just for impressing us. Though I am the king, I do like to mingle with the common folk and enjoy a good joke now and then, especially if it was at my dear wife's expense." To prove his point, he emulated his wife and settled on Luna's head, playing with her blonde hair that matched his own.

Everyone relaxed at that and with the ice broken, found chairs to sit. It was difficult to be tense and so formal in the presence of such playful beings as the Fairies, even if they were the king and queen.

Urvasi however was stuck on Luna's earlier comment, "What do you mean by saying that you could not identify us as Fairies Princess Luna? Are Fairies not present in your timeline?"

Harry was also fretting but his concern was more about Hermione who was still not at ease after her Faux pas and all this talk using honorifics was not helping her one bit. Besides, he felt as if they were superfluous as they have not yet earned the titles, just inherited them, "Your Majesty could you please call us by our names and not these designations? We only learned about all of this yesterday and I for one feel overwhelmed to think that we are royalty and my girls agree, when only yesterday we did not have enough to eat."

There was a glint of anger and maybe even sympathy in the Queen's eyes at that statement but she squashed it ruthlessly, it was not the time nor her place to do anything about it, just help the future king and queens of the wizarding world as best as they could. "Then please call me Urvasi and that tub of lard acting like a child on Luna's head is Megam."

Her husband huffed in irritation at his wife's barb aimed at his rotund belly. The byplay was obviously to put the children at ease and was especially aimed at Hermione who was still fretting over her unintentional offence to royalty, and had the desire effect of bringing hearty laughter from all those around them.

"Well, the Fairies I know are not nearly as tall as you, they are about half of your height now and they are definitely not healers. Are all Fairies healers or only a few of you are?" Luna questioned.

King Megam was serious for once, "It is our magic that allows us to be healers. We commune with nature and derive our energy from the ambient magic. Our abilities allow us to treat maladies that occur in both magical and non-magical individuals; we do not distinguish between the two worlds and give of ourselves freely."

Luna continued where she left off from, "The only way we interact with Fairies is when they feed on the magic in a magical household and then glow brightly. They are used as decorations on trees during Christmas and they do not seem to mind it. I have never heard about Fairy magic and healing abilities."

Her observations were supported by two of the Hogwarts founders who added their own views about Fairies, but in all of their experiences or studies they never heard about healing magic belonging to Fairies.

Queen Urvasi had to ask, "Are you sure you are not talking about Pixies?"

The adults left the answer to Luna, it was the best way for the children to interact with the magical population of that time and learn several new things. Besides, it was good for them to come out of their self-imposed shells and integrate quickly, as it would be required of them when they go back to their timeline and if they have to be able rulers, then they should not be introverted. So Luna complied, "No offense to Cornish Pixies but they are very different, ugly and not beautiful at all with a gaudy purple colouration and deformities. They are very mischievous and cause nothing but trouble, forcing people to keep their distance from them."

"This is very disturbing indeed! What might have caused our kind to lose the healing ability and talk about being smaller than we already are, as it is we get ridiculed by ignorant populace. Is it possible that our loss of the ability to commune with the 'Life Force' inside all living things and the rise of darkness was linked?"

That assessment left a bitter taste in the mouths of everyone but no one had an opinion on that matter, as they did not have any real understanding of the magic that went into Fairy magic or any previous knowledge about Fairies being more than ornaments on trees. For the Fairies, it was difficult to imagine a life where they did not have the main ability that made them unique, much sought after and equal to the other magical races.

"What is this 'Life Force' you are talking about? Is that the magic that flows inside all the magical beings?" Lady Ravenclaw asked.

This time it was a different Fairy who introduced herself as Healer Vaidya who answered them, "What we call as 'Life Force' for lack of a better word, is different form the magical energy. The 'Life Force' is inherent to all living things whether they be magical or not; humans, animals, and even trees. The 'Life Force' can be roughly represented as packets of 'life' and is present in a defined amount right from birth and not replenished at all during their life time. Every time there is an injury some of the 'Life Force' is lost. Magical beings have energy derived from their magical core which supports their 'Life Force' and hastens their healing, extends life span by reducing injuries and such."

Everyone was stunned; they never thought that there was a defined physical entity that constitutes life. Neither the children nor the founders heard about this 'Life Force' literally controlling the life span of an individual. However, this also proved beyond doubt that everyone was born equal; it was hard to refute that fact when this physical entity, a force was responsible for every living being on earth and was the same in all. Lady Ravenclaw was determined to drill this fact into Lord Slytherin and put this thought of superiority by birth to rest, once and for all.

"Our body is made up of millions of tiny representations of ourselves that do the work at the most basic level. These are called as '_Jeeva Kanalu_' or 'Minuscule life' and are present all over the body. These _Kanalu_ have a packet of the 'Life Force' embedded in them and have a certain life span after which they die and have to be replaced. Whenever that happens, the 'Life Force' inside them is lost and so over time, the 'Life Force' inside the body is reduced little by little. Blood loss also increases the amount of 'Life Force' lost, as the packets of the 'Life Force' are free to move around and can be transferred to places where there is a need for repair. Magical energy can augment the process of repair and so the 'Life Force' used to repair bodily damage is conserved in the case of magical beings, thus giving them that little bit extra life span. You can replace the blood by potions but you cannot replace the 'Life Force' you lose, the more you bleed the more is the loss. Finally, over time when all the 'Life Force' is drained from your body and you die" the healer concluded her explanation.

"So does that mean that if an individual was not injured or does not have accidents, he could be near immortal and have a very long life?" that was something that Lady Ravenclaw wanted to know. Knowing that bit of fact may change the way wizards and witches view some of the rituals used to gain power; such rituals have a serious effect on the life span of the individual. Was there an adverse effect on the 'Life Force' in such instances? If there was a way to counter the drain, then a way to immortality may be in their hands, not that she would approve of such efforts, but they may need to know to come up with an effective way to defeat them.

The healer shared a sly glance with her king and queen, "Immortality is never possible, only the gods have the right to be immortal. Even the High Elves who have remarkably long lives do eventually die and they do not use any outside influence to extend their life span. They were given a gift of longevity that's all."

While the others looked interested in the discussion, Lady Ravenclaw was not convinced. So the healer tried to explain the reason for her earlier statement, "Every '_Nimusham_' or minute that we live, we lose some of our 'Life Force'. Our daily activities like breathing, taking a meal or plain existing cause unseen bodily damage and also lead to lose of some of our 'Life Force' due to the death of some of the '_Jeeva Kanalu_'.

There was disbelief written on all those who did not have any exposure to modern science, and that included almost all of the audience except the Fairies, who had their own knowledge of such things. Surprising everyone Harry offered the explanation, "Non-magical science had advanced so much that they could see these 'Miniscule Life' as you called them, in our world they are called as a 'Cell' and they are a true representation of every person. They have a limited life time and are replaced every few days, especially in the stomach lining where they undergo rapid death due to the food we eat."

It was really amazing to know that the beliefs and knowledge of the ancients had a way to resurface even if most of it was forgotten by the ravages of time. Even if they were not truly same in every little detail, knowledge had a perverse way to survive; it was heartening to the listeners that not all was lost.

"Is there no way to augment the diminishing Life Force? I mean people are prone to accidents every day through no fault of themselves and it seems harsh if their life is cut short inadvertently" Lady Hufflepuff known for her enthusiasm for healing and exotic potion ingredients interjected.

Healer Vaidya looked at her King Megam for some guidance but did not get any reaction out of the ruler and so after a little hesitation replied, "The only way you can gain some 'Life Force' is by taking part in the formation of a new life."

"Child birth?" someone asked.

"Yes, women when they give birth can gain a small amount of 'Life Force' from the new life created. The event would add about a couple of '_yadadi-lu_' (plural for year) to her life. The beauty of the event is that the damage caused during the process of childbirth does not impose any cost on the mother's 'Life Force'. Such is the whim of nature. Men can gain new 'Life Force' if they have had a kind of spiritual reckoning, maybe by an extremely good deed, like saving another's life by risking their own."

"Oh! Like a life debt I suppose" Luna thought out loud.

Queen Urvasi wanted to know what they mean by a life debt. Lady Ravenclaw answered for her, "A life debt is acknowledged when a wizard or witch was inadvertently thrown into a danger and risk their life to save someone else. It is owned by the person saved or if the danger was knowingly caused by a witch or a wizard, then that person would own a life debt to all those put in danger and to the one who put his life on the line to mitigate the danger. But if there are a lot of people put in danger or doing the rescuing then the debt gets diluted among the number of people endangered."

The Fairies listening to the explanation of the life debt agreed that would be an ideal case when a witch or wizard could gain more 'Life Force' but unlike the situation where the seriousness of the danger would determine the way to repay the debt, the amount of 'Life Force' gained was always constant and would only add a few years of life.

The discussion tapered off after that and the healer with the assistance of a few others ran several diagnostic charms on Harry, Hermione, and Luna; they even had to drink a surprisingly pleasant tasting potion. It took only a few minutes to get the girls done but in case of Harry it stretched to almost half an hour interspersed by much frowning and even an exclamation of disgust on occasion. Harry knew that nothing good would come out of any test that was meant to assess his physical condition, anyone seeing his current state could determine the amount of abuse he endured, even the girls were taller and healthier looking than him. If he had to admit though, that could be due to the fact that he deliberately ensured that the girls always had more to eat.

Healer Vaidya heaved a sigh and looked at Harry with a look of pity. That was something that Harry could never accept, "I know the amount of damage to my body, as I was beaten and starved quite regularly. I would thank you not to look at me like I am some charity case" he bristled with irritation more than anger. Hermione and Luna immediately tightened their hug around him; they knew some of the trouble Harry went through and of his generosity when they were together surviving on their own. They knew that he was a very private person and fiercely proud.

Everyone was taken aback at the exclamation, none more so than the healer herself. Regaining her composure and in a no nonsense voice laid out her diagnosis, "The girls are well enough, their malnutrition did nothing to help their growth, which could be very easily corrected. Other than that they have no problem and since they are a few years away from being able to bear a child, there would be no problem at all."

That was really good news for all the adults who had concerns about their family continuing on in the dark times in the future. At least there would be no after effects of the hardships they endured until arriving in 2000 BC. Hermione and Luna were happy too, they were privately dreaming about the day that they could bear Harry's children and this news was certainly a weight off their shoulders.

"There's nothing wrong with them that a few potions and a good diet would take care." Healer Vaidya then turned to Harry who was still in the girl's embrace and heaved another sigh, this however was one of regret, "Well, malnutrition is also a concern in Prince Harry's case but it is more pronounced than the girls. There are several broken bones which would take time to correct but the most troubling is the area around his scar."

"The scar was got the night his parents were killed and the story goes that the Dark Lord tried to kill Harry with the killing curse but it rebounded on him. Do you mean to say that there is something from the killing curse that was now residing in his scar?" Luna was horrified at that thought. Both Hermione and Luna could do nothing to stem the tide of distress coming from Harry except to send him comfort through their bond.

"The area around his scar shows the presence of a very different 'Life Force' with a fair amount of magical essence belonging to that individual. That bit of magical essence reeks of a foul stench, a stench of evil to an extent that I have never encountered before."

The humans present there exchanged looks that spoke volumes, they knew the origins of that 'Life Force' and the wizard could be said to be evil personified. More importantly it raised concerns about Harry's well-being. The children were enduring one shock after another but no one made any attempts to shield them from the truth, however hard to digest that may be.

"What would be the effect of that? Does it need and come to think of it, can it be removed?" Harry asked with trepidation. He was not sure what he wanted to hear.

Healer Vaidya was pensive for a few moments, "It needs to be removed. I am not sure what the effect of having another's 'Life Force' attached to you would be, but it definitely cannot be good. It may also have been done deliberately to ensure that he lived on even if his body was destroyed." Here all the Fairies shuddered, "We fairies are creatures of love, something like that is even unthinkable for us. We should free you from that nasty bit if nothing else to at least ensure that the evil wizard remains dead. It is a very simple procedure but could only be done after all the damage to your body was corrected and restored to pristine health."

With teary eyes, Lady Frairwood looked to the healer and voiced her concern, "What about his 'Life Force'? You said injuries would hasten the loss."

That was what Healer Vaidya was dreading but she had no choice, "His 'Life Force' was damaged too much, I have seen such damage only in veteran warriors. He may not survive for more than fourty more years or at the most fifty after this." While Harry looked shocked after hearing that, Hermione and Luna could not hold back their tears and began to sob. He was not vain but hearing that he may not live to see sixty certainly put a dampener on his mood. Unknown to him the adults were also concerned about that, as due to their bond, it may be impossible for Hermione and Luna to survive without him.

Destiny and the gods were on the side of the Champion of good though. King Megham was the final authority to decide on such matters concerning the dispending of a closely guarded secret passed from the gods themselves to the Fairies via angels that once roamed freely on earth. He allayed their fears, "In dire circumstances we can dispense '_Amrutam_', that is the nectar of life, to worthy beings and Harry is certainly one. Blessed by destiny, fate and the gods he needs to live a long and healthy life with his lovely wives" he turned to Healer Vaidya, "I, King Megham give you leave to dispense the 'Life Force' restoring elixir to Harrius James Potter."

Tears of despair turned to ones of happiness at that proclamation. The joyful healer turned to Harry, "I will personally give you the required dose but only after we restore your health and get rid of that nasty bit of evil in your scar. Barring accidents you would live out the life written on your page in the book of life."

She was not finished yet, "I can sense a '_Sangam_', a confluence, based on love between the three of you. But there is also something that is blocking the merging of your very souls from maturing completely, I am not sure what that is and so I do not know what the effects, if any, would be. Until I can decipher what that block was, I cannot do anything about it. Please let me know if anyone of you come across anything to do with such connections and any information about blocks and such."

"Confluence?" all the ladies attending the children were incredulous.

Healer Vaidya gave them a wry smile, "Yes, that's the best I can describe these three souls that yet are not three." Those in the know-how instantly recognized the phrase of the prophecy, "**The Being Supreme arisen of the three**…" was this confluence of the three souls, the one being meant to destroy evil?

The treatment regimen for Harry resembled that of a macabre plot. Every morning, some of the misaligned bones would be broken, set correctly and then healed with a potion to knit the bone back. The only exception was for Harry's ribs which could not be broken without significant damage to his lungs which was to be avoided at any cost, they would be treated with a combination of topically applied bone dissolving mixture, enlarging charms, and the bone mending potion. The entire process of repairing the bones was estimated to take ten days after which the blunt trauma would be healed in a day.

The Fairy way of treating damage to the body meant that instead of just restoring the body to a state that might have been the normal one, if not for the damage, it would be strengthened beyond normal. With the growth potions, Harry, Hermione and Luna would be stronger and even bigger than what they would have turned out to be otherwise. The entire treatment was estimated to take a month and any training, either magical or physical would have to be taken up after that.

The only respite the children had from the pain during the treatment process was a unique charmed bracelet with etched runes, to temper the damage caused to their body by their un-lidded magic.

All three of them were loath to exert themselves and tried to confine themselves to bed, but the healers forced them to move about as they needed a means to expend the excess magical energy. As they could not start their magical training their only option was physical exertion. So the mornings and evenings before the heat of the day grew too troublesome, was spent in roaming around the small community, getting to know the lay of the land, the people and their customs. The rest of the day was spent in learning the commonly used language at that time, the language of the race that was considered to be royalty among all magical races, the High Elves.

Harry's training to be the highest authority as the future King of the magical world also began during this time. Politics, strategy, ethics and even deportment was discussed and drilled into him. He took them surprisingly well and even through his pain he was attentive, the presence of two royal families in his heritage probably helping him deal with the taxing activity. The girls also sat in on these discussions as they felt that they were a team, a single family and were determined to help Harry in all that they could. Besides, it was also difficult for them to concentrate on other subjects when Harry was paying serious attention to the subject matter at hand, as his thoughts and everything else bled into their bond. Even though it was discouraged to shut their connection totally, all the three of them were still learning to mask their thoughts enough so that they would not bleed into their shared space and distract the others. It was needed to be done, otherwise their normal daily functions could be seriously impaired, not that Harry and the girls wanted to do anything alone without the other's participation, but there were just some things that could not be done together. It would be more difficult for them once they age and were forced to tackle different tasks in their lives.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On one of their less painful days during the month of hospital visits, Luna hesitatingly approached the subject that was bothering her from the very day she learnt about 'Life Force' and its presence in all life forms. Unlike the other days, all the adults accompanied the three bond mates to the infirmary, even the men.

"I can talk to trees" Luna suddenly blurted out.

That statement was met with total silence. Harry and Hermione were communicating with Luna through their bond and trying to help her calm down from her nervous state. The continued silence did not help her one bit though.

Lord Slytherin, the most cynical of the lot was the first to recover, "Trees cannot talk."

The treatment regimen always left Harry cantankerous and the insinuation that Luna was either lying or worse delusional, did not sit well with him. Before he could react Luna spoke up nearly in tears, "… but they can understand what I said and even respond to my requests." The anguish in her voice did what soothing words from Hermione would not, calm him down. He immediately deflated and engulfed the distraught girl in his arms, which Hermione gladly copied, glad to avoid a blow up from Harry.

Lord Schlakett placed a placating hand on his many times grandson's shoulder, "If she said that she could communicate with trees, I believe her. Surely there's some valid explanation for this remarkable gift!"

From the very back of the room a timid voice spoke up, "Maybe Princess Luna could sense the 'Life Force' flowing in the trees and used her own 'Life Force' to communicate with them?"

Everyone turned to the unusually shy Fairy who was acknowledged to be a hoarder of obscure knowledge and primarily a thinker. At the questioning glance from Healer Vaidya, he continued with his explanation, "We all know that trees and every other life form that cannot give voice to their feelings still communicate with nature. The way they do that is by modulating the 'Life Force' in them, to gain nutrients or even assess any dangers nearby and then react to that."

Here Healer Vaidya interrupted brimming with excitement, "Yes that could be the reason. Princess Luna may be able to sense the 'Life Force' within the trees and their modulations and unconsciously doing the same with her own 'Life Force' to communicate with them. Did you try to detect anything similar with other life forms, maybe animals or birds?"

Bolstered by the semblance of reason, Luna grew in confidence, "No I never tried to do that. I was alone most of the time at my home and so spent that time in my tree house. That was the way I began talking to trees."

"Hermione could communicate with animals and even gather their conscious thoughts and change their mind" Harry supplied helpfully.

Lord Griffter turned to Hermione and got a reluctant nod of her head in agreement. "Hmm… Maybe we should talk about this gift with the High Lord of the Elves. They are known to have the ability to enter an opponent's mind and even modify their intentions. If you do have the ability we could request them to include that in your training with the warrior who would teach you battle tactics and their own version of diplomacy. Let's see if you have that ability like Luna has the ability to sense 'Life Force'."

It was an exciting time; the girls could be having abilities that were only known to be present with other magical races. Healer Vaidya was certainly giddy, "Once your training has been mapped out, we could find time to explore and develop your ability Lady Luna. If you could indeed sense 'Life Force' within living beings, then you might make a fine healer and gods above willing, rejuvenate this lost ability in others that have this ability." Her eyes suddenly shone with excitement, "Maybe even in the Fairies of your time" she squealed.

Was the gift to sense Life Force given to Luna for a divine purpose? Does her ability to sense 'Life Force' have a more important role to play in their struggle against darkness, only time would tell. If nothing else Luna would train to be a healer and that would certainly help them.


	13. Chapter 13

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 13**

It took more than a month for Harry to be completely free of injuries, malnutrition and also get his 'Life Force' restored back to normal. Though the girls were treated quickly, they stayed within the infirmary in the mornings during the treatment process never leaving Harry's side and this only strengthened their bond. All three progressed by leaps and bounds in their efforts to communicate non-verbally. Even with the enormous progress they made with the bond, Harry and the girls still felt incomplete, it was as if there was a pall of mist in the early morning air. Despite protests from all the adults, especially the Lords grumbling about propriety due to their habit of sleeping naked and piled onto Harry, they studiously ignored them and continued to use the room given to Harry which also had an attached study, as their bedroom. This more than anything else helped them gain the confidence they were lacking so far and the constant support of their bond mates through their soul bond allowed them to let go of their fears of isolation completely. Their bond helped them to constantly feel the presence of the others, which was always tangible in their consciousness and though they were not keen, their occlumency skills progressed to such an extent that they were able to completely shut the other's thoughts. Their bond did not allow Harry and his girls to completely close off; they could always feel their presence and emotions even with their mental shields strengthened to their strongest. This though was a welcome respite for them.

Now that Harry and the two girls were free of their physical deficiencies, every one of their guardians was keen on getting them started on their training. The healing left them a little bigger than the average height and body structure for a 9 year old, and though Harry lacked the poise and deportment of royalty, with a little training he was sure to come across as the future king that he was. He looked like one at a glance with his improved physique and he was eager to learn. Hermione and Luna were already trained to behave like ladies that they were and it did not take them long to forget the time they spent as street urchins and conducted themselves better than Harry did in company. They still needed to be taught about the duties of the lady of a house and were absorbing all the teachings like a sponge. Brimming with confidence and faith in themselves, all three of them were now looking forward to the day that they could act like the king and queens that they were.

Even though they were the rulers of the magical world, the first four human magical families still had a submissive attitude towards the High Elves. So before any serious training could start, Harry, Hermione, and Luna were 'presented' to the royal court of the High Elves. The 'High Council' which included the leaders of all the magical races met again almost exactly 100 years to the date that the four humans were bestowed magic. The meeting was to assess the three children that bore the weight of the future and also finalize the matters pertaining to their training while taking the opportunity to generally get acquainted with the three.

The meeting was anything but pleasant. While most of the magical races were amicable to the future king and queen of the magical world in the Isles, especially the Low Elves who were eager to please, the High Elves looked snobbish to Harry and his girls. The natural enmity between the Goblins and High Elves, and the thinly veiled disdain for the humans displayed by the High Elves did not make matters easy for the four adults and three children from the modern era. The presence of the three bond mates further cemented their own impending retreat into obscurity and that did not sit well with High Lord Asterius, king of the High Elves 'To think that these puny three had the future of the entire magical race in their hands and I have to bow to them' was the summary of his fuming musings.

Lunch was a very somber affair with the easy camaraderie of a meeting between friends clearly lacking. The fact that all the leaders of the different magical races were at one place after nearly a hundred years and also the reminder of a grim future before them, might have been the reason for brooding faces all through the meal. No one made an effort to ease the tension, a strange situation to be among friends and still no one was ready to socialize. The three children were overwhelmed and felt as if they were intruding into a place they were not welcome while the four Hogwarts founders were silent, probably in an effort to overcome their own prejudices.

Events took a decided turn towards a cordial atmosphere after lunch, aided in no small amount by the enthusiasm shown by the three future rulers upon meeting their tutors from the Goblin and Elvin nations and from the lands of Centaurs and Dwarves. Despite the disdain showed by his High Lord, Lord Legolas of the High Elves volunteered to teach them the use of bow and arrow. He was even more enthusiastic when told about Hermione's ability to manipulate the free will of others, a talent known only to the High Elves.

"Anything that I can do to ensure that the right side wins, I pledge my willingness to do it" was his proclaimed justification much to the happiness of the humans present.

The Goblin nation took on the mantle of training the three in physical combat including close combat weapons and their general fitness. The Dwarves were known for their metal work but more importantly they were efficient brewers of toxic potions that could take down a full grown dragon, a skill that could come handy for Harry, Hermione, and Luna when they face Lord Voldemort and his yet unknown minions. The Centaurs were also known for their fighting skill with long range weapons like the throwing spears and bow and arrow but more importantly they were skilled tacticians and efficient negotiators due to their close knit community, skills which the three children were eager to learn.

During a lull in the conversation the leader of the Low Elves managed to corner Harry. With an enthusiasm that belied the small body he surged forward, "Prince Harry, are our kind still loyal to the humans in the future? Do we have your trust?"

Harry looked like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar; only after coming into the past did he know that there were other sentient beings while though unaware of its existence, magic was a taboo subject earning him pain. Luna sensed his discomfort through their bond and came to his rescue cutting her talk with healer Vaidya of the Fairies short. "Yes sir, your kind is loyal to humans and continues to serve them willingly." The happy smile was however replaced with a frown when Luna continued, "The bond that was made by the Low Elves with the humans as I was told, based on mutual respect and compassion is no longer the same. I regret to say that the subservience was complete in as far as being perverted to slavery and forced labour on part of the 'master' towards his elf. House Elves as they are now known could not dare to turn against their masters even if they wanted to."

All the Low Elves who were at the gathering fidgeted in their seats upon hearing what was the death knell to their free will. They could do nothing though as their oath to serve the humans was already made and was binding.

Harry had the final word though, where he pledged to do his utmost to bring back balance to the magical world and ensure that the bonds of friendship were restored to their intended meaning. Hermione and Luna as his future wives were at his side immediately pledging their unending support to the future king. The sincerity and passion held in their voices convinced even High Lord Asterius who was the first to start the cheer that was quickly taken up by all those assembled. The hope for a better future, where every magical being was equal and ensured of a life free of strife, took firm root that night way back in the past.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The eager adults wondered what to teach the willing children; combat spells were a must but that alone would not do. A well-rounded education was a requirement especially with the future of the entire magical race on the line; other branches of magic like Transfiguration could also be used in battle. The four Hogwarts founders also learnt a life changing lesson in that there is no specific demarcation between the branches of magic, only the end to which that particular magic was used was what's important. There were no charms or Transfiguration lessons only their use either for decorating a house or incapacitating an enemy. Even then, everything had to start some place and somewhere small too, so simple spells which were going to be a part of 'Charms' in the upcoming Hogwarts curriculum were chosen both for their simplicity as well as for improving control.

As regards to the duration of the training, there was a clear division of opinion. The majority of the Hogwarts founders along with a few of their grandparents were adamant that there was a strict need for structured education, while Lord Salazar Slytherin and the rest were determined that a set structure was not necessary as it was more important to impart the training needed to fulfill their goals. At least the goals were agreed upon by all concerned, to get rid of the Dark Lord Voldemort as soon as possible and take over the reins of the magical government in Britain. The length of their stay in the past was not determined by Lady Hedwig; instead it was left to the adults to ensure that the three children spent enough time to master what was needed for their survival in the upcoming war. The question remained with no consensus reached and it was finally decided to play it by the ear when it came to the duration of the stay. They made the classical mistake prone to be made in situations like these; they felt that they knew best and did not ask the three concerned what they wanted to do.

Since all three children were forced to use their magical core due to the extreme conditions they lived in, well before the age of eleven when the core stabilizes enough to start training, they were being trained to use magic for a specific purpose rather than the body 'accidentally' reacting with magic. Every one of the adults, along with handpicked experts from the other magical races with the blessings of the 'High Council' all volunteered to impart their specialty to the children.

Godric Gryffindor, much to his embarrassment found that even the four of them, the founders of Hogwarts, acknowledged to be the best of their generation had a lot to learn. He vividly remembered the impromptu lecture in the nature of magic and the way to focus it, delivered by the lords of the 'First Four' families.

**Flashback**

"Wands! We need to get the kids some wands" Godric Gryffindor declared with childish glee rubbing his hands together. The first week of their sojourn into the past was spent mostly in discussions and getting comfortable to the added members of their families and looking in anguish at a writhing Harry in the hospital wing. He was not a very patient man, more inclined to dive first and look later but more importantly though he was a warrior, he was a teacher at heart and the anticipation of teaching his many times grandson was egging him on. He wanted to see what the obviously powerful children and not to mention soul bonded mates could do with a wand in their hands.

"We are not familiar with these wands, what are they?" Miriam Rowenger ruthlessly poured cold water on his enthusiasm.

Wondering if there was a different word or phrase for the most common magical focus, Rowena Ravenclaw pulled her wand out from a pocket on her toga. Displaying it to her grandmother, Rowena explained, "A wand is a specially crafted tool to help the witch or wizard to focus and control their magic for spell casting. Usually any wand would work but the best results are obtained with a wand attuned to one's magic."

The others offered their wands up for inspection to their hosts. "Fascinating! I guess this has been crafted from wood?" Fiona Schlakett questioned with the wand in her hand nearly touching her nose while she peered at it.

Rowena continued, "Yes, the wand is made of blemish free wood and has a thin core drilled into it all along the length. In that core a conductive agent for magic is embedded and then sealed with either the person's blood to make it exclusive or powdered brimstone in which case anyone can use it. Both the wood and the core are selected based on their compatibility to the caster's magic."

"… and what are these conductive agents?" Fitzwilliam Griffter asked with trepidation, the concept did not feel so innocent to him.

Salazar confirmed his unease, "They are collected from powerful magical animals like Unicorn hair, Phoenix feather, Dragon heartstring, Thestral wing feather, Basilisk scales and so on."

"Oh those poor animals" gasped the four ladies of the bygone era. They could not imagine any one hurting a helpless animal for their use, especially if you can do magic without the use of any crutches. It's logical that any object between the source and the target is going to dampen the intended effect however efficient conductor the wand may be, why couldn't they see that? Besides, wasn't their intent to give equal status to all magical beings meant to include non-sentient species, especially ones which are more powerful than you?

There was a silence, though it was not awkward was not peaceful either. Godric retrieved his wand with a flourish he gave it a swish and a flick accompanied by a perfectly enunciated "_Wingardium Leviosa_" levitated the tea table a few feet in the air. He might have accepted a few nods of appreciation if not rambunctious applause to his feat but what he did not expect was ridicule.

It started with a snigger which quickly grew to chuckling and then outright laughter from their hosts. The other three Hogwarts founders were bewildered; unable to comprehend the cause for the merriment looked at the rapidly reddening face of Godric. Fitzwilliam took pity on his thoroughly embarrassed grandson and apologized, "I am sorry but it looked so funny, like a play at a kid's school." Then without even an uttered word flicked his right index finger that was pointed at the table, up and achieved the same result as Godric with minimum effort.

The four founders were astounded, "Wandless casting" they breathed in awe.

Fiona broke through their astonishment and tried to explain to them why using a wand was not a good idea, "We can see that you get the work done with a wand but don't you see it as detrimental?" Seeing their confused looks she elaborated, "Think about it, the amount of power you can put into a spell may be limited by the strength of the core material. It acts more like a crutch hindering your true potential rather than enhancing it. What happens when you cast powerful spells continuously with a wand?"

Rowena recovered quickly, "The core burns out and the wand is rendered useless."

"The elaborate movements you do are also a waste of time and if you say the words, your opponent could easily counter whatever you are casting or be not at the spot you were aiming for."

"We can cast non-verbally too" Godric defended himself but everyone could sense that it was not spirited.

Raven took up the discussion, "I am pretty sure that you get tired easily when casting with a wand. You are always trying to push your magic through an unnatural part connected to you which is inadvertently reducing the power of your spells and causing undue strain to you."

"… and then we are helpless without a wand" Helga Hufflepuff agreed without any inhibitions.

Salazar as always dove straight to the heart of the matter, "How do we learn to cast without wands?"

Miriam gave him an appreciative smile, "It was made easy for us when we were given the gift of magic by the gods. We still had to practice a lot as we had problems, especially when we were flustered or otherwise occupied in something serious." That proclamation more than anything else restored Godric's pride, the ability to cast without a medium was a gift from the heavens above and not due to a flaw in him.

Atracus joined the discussion, "It takes an organized mind to succeed in this type of spell casting, you should be able to maintain your composure and think clearly even in a crisis situation. With patience and perseverance you attain this state of mind which then gives you a free reign for spell casting."

"Oh! You mean like occlumency" Rowena suggested. She then took the time to explain the process by which thoughts and facts are organized for easy recalling and being able to calm an agitated mind using meditative techniques. All of these form a part of occlumency, with the added bonus of protecting the mind from extraneous intrusions.

The lords and ladies of the past heaved a sigh of relief. If their descendants were already skilled in calming and focusing techniques then switching them to cast without wands would not be a problem. They were also heartened that Harry, Hermione, and Luna already mastered the technique and their bond gave them the ability to disperse their emotions quickly by leaching them out to the bond mates. This meant that they could be started on wandless casting straight away rather than teaching them to control the amount of power they put in their spells with the help of a mismatched wand which would then be a power limiter.

"Feel the flow of magic and ask it to perform the task for you" Elizabeth instructed. "Do not demand or force it but become one with magic flowing in nature. Visualize the result that you need and then call up your magic, feel it flow from the core to your finger tip and guide it along. Allow it to connect to the magic around you and alter it to do your bidding."

As expected nothing came out of the little exercise but they were patient. Years of training and teaching others gave them the skills required to master a new field easily. It would take them a couple of months to cast without a wand even in stressful conditions, but master it they would.

Julian finished the discussion, "The other magical beings can do the same thing that we do without even a gesture, using just their conscious thought. We tried to emulate them but were unable to progress to that extent. Given how powerful they could be, maybe Harry, Hermione, or Luna can achieve that level of control."

**End of Flashback**

Hermione and Luna decided that their priority was to learn t to exploit the wonderful gifts that were bestowed upon them. Luna began to learn healing but more importantly the ability to sense and connect to the 'Life Force' from the Fairies. Once able to deliberately connect to someone else's 'Life Force', healing their injuries or irregularities would come easy to her. Lord Legolas of the High Elves was determined to develop the ability to enter the conscious mind of an enemy and taking control over it, in Hermione. When they were occupied this way individually, Harry was left to amuse himself due to the distinct lack of special talents in him, which of course irritated him. He however, did not begrudge Hermione and Luna, instead looked up whatever material they needed in the library and generally extended his support through their bond.

The physical part of their training was taken over by Goblin warrior Grimjaw, who immediately threw a battleaxe to Harry with the words, "Sword is for puny things not warriors; what you need is a good axe." Along with general body fitness and building up his muscle, Harry was taught the nuances of close combat with an axe, sword and bare hands. Thankfully the girls were spared the grunt work but still strived to take part in a slightly less strenuous exercise regimen. Hermione took to a short sword like a duck to water while Luna was natural with a pair of daggers and their training was mainly for self-defense rather than combat.

Lord Legolas excelled as a tutor in the use of a bow and arrow mainly focusing on Hermione and Luna but Harry still managed to participate. Though he was not as proficient as the two girls he was fairly accurate in hitting a human sized target over a distance much to his satisfaction. This mutually acceptable weapon use gave Grimjaw and Legolas the time to work with them individually after a morning work out where Harry was accompanied by Hermione and Luna without fail.

Helga Hufflepuff assisted in teaching the art of potion making especially those methods and potions which were not known during that time. The subject was equally supervised by the Dwarves when it came to poisons and their antidotes, while the Fairies taught healing potions and general everyday use brews. Changing the shape of an object to something that was needed came under the modern day definition of Transfiguration and was divided between Rowena Ravenclaw, Atracus Frairwood, and Godric Gryffindor with the latter concentrating on their applications in the battlefield.

Miriam Rowenger took care of teaching charms for household and everyday use while Salazar Slytherin concentrated on the use of seemingly innocuous charms in battle situations. Governance and ancient laws along with code of conduct that were passed through generations and enforced by the 'High Council' of the time were taught by Fitzwilliam Griffter and Julian Schlakett. It was no surprise to everyone that the laws were basically the same even during the time of the Hogwarts founders but their interpretation was biased to favour a few families with a good amount of gold. Harry was being coached in their true meaning and the courtesy to treat all beings as equal irrespective of their origins, a fact that was not very difficult for him to accept as the feeling of being ostracized by his so called family was still fresh in his mind.

One of the major requirements to be successful as a leader was to be unfazed by crisis and keep emotions under control, they soon found out that Harry was surprisingly adapt at that. His life at the Dursleys was very hard for him and the first thing he learnt was to be stoic and keep his wits about however dangerous the situation might have been. That was also very painful to the adults as he never responded to their attempts to coerce his acceptance of them. The only place he was totally relaxed was with his bond mates and only their soothing presence prevented a total blackout of emotions in him. Wary of Harry's apathetic demeanor and in an effort to infuse some light heartedness into him, teachings in Diplomacy, strategy, and tactical negotiations were by group discussions rather than a classroom environment. Different points of view were brought in by the group that included humans, Goblins, Low Elves, High Elves but the final opinion considered by Harry, Hermione, and Luna was almost always of that of the Centaur representative. This was due to the fact that the Centaur mindset was towards the community as a whole rather than exclusive or disruptive.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Life settled into a routine for Harry, Hermione, and Luna. Without any burdens hanging on them except one of learning to be the best they could be both in their life as well as rulers of the magical world, the three children were a picture of contentment. Hermione and Luna were as happy as they could be, reveling in the feeling of warmth emanating not only from Harry but also being shown by the adults in their new lives. Harry was still a little wary of showing his emotions openly but Hermione and Luna were back to their old selves mirroring their behaviour when their parents were alive. The adults that entered their lives could never replace them but they came awfully close to doing it.

The constant encouragement and support shown by the ladies however began to gradually fracture the walls that Harry was forced to erect to safeguard his emotions. The inevitable happened on one fine day during the second month of their training. After a particularly grueling day of wielding an axe and a sword simultaneously in both hands, Harry ended up stretching his still developing muscles a little too far and injured himself enough to be put up in the infirmary. He was used to Hermione and Luna fussing over his injuries and relished in the feeling of love and concern over him emanating from their bond, but was surprised by the ferocity by which the ladies tore into Grimjaw for putting him through the wringer.

Resting after a dose of muscle repair potion, specially brewed for him by Hermione and Luna, Harry was finally able to lower his emotional walls. Moreover, he wanted to experience the feeling of a mother fussing over her child while he still could. He also realized that his girls were at a stage where they would need help and advice from the ladies especially when their bodies would undergo certain changes due to their age. Thanks to their bond, he would always be close to them offering comfort but there were some things that a girl needed a mother for.

Helga Frairwood endeared herself to him due to her infinite patience when dealing with him and a compassionate and gentle nature. "Can I call you Mum? I do not remember calling anyone Mum ever" Harry asked tentatively fearing a reprimand for causing offense or worse a rejection.

He was shocked when all the six ladies situated around his bed burst into tears. Only Hermione and Luna hugging him from their usual sleeping positions beside him and their beaming smiles even though their cheeks were tear stained, prevented a full blown panic attack.

Rowena got up and kissed him and the two girls on their foreheads before gently taking Harry's hand in hers, "Even though we are more like your grandmas, I am sure no one will begrudge you calling any one of us mum, I know I don't." Hugs and kisses were liberally doled out by them sealing the pact before everyone retired for the night.

That night when Hermione and Luna drifted off, cuddled into him, Harry began reminiscing about his good fortune. He, who was branded a freak and had to live on the street for his own safety, now had a place to call home with six doting mothers and two lovely bond mates.

Stroking their hair he marveled at Hermione and Luna's fierce dedication and loyalty to him; he must have done something good sometime in this life or in a previous incarnation for having them in his life. Nothing was above him in their view; he was their only concern as they were his, nothing else mattered. He was so proud of them. They had such unique powers not seen in humans even from the time magic was given to mortals, and they were working so hard at it. Even though they were having problems, he was sure that they would master their powers in no time; they were determined to prove themselves. He was a little disappointed that he was nothing special but that only meant that he had to work that much harder to get strong.

That night Harry made a silent vow. He vowed not to rest till he would be strong enough to protect his soul mates, his intended wives. He would do everything in his power and then some more to ensure their safety, even if that meant he had to bear a few more blows from Grimjaw's axe.

_Srusthi_, _Laya_, and _Vinasa_ who were looking over the scene with a fond smile intoned, "_Kalyanamastu_" (May all good things come to you!)


	14. Chapter 14

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 14**

**February 1991, Forested Area, border between Albania and Macedonia**

Quirinus Quirrell was a very ambitious young man. He grew up and attended Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the times of strife and being a pureblood, his family was largely left alone when the lesser beings were purged. After the war things settled back and everyone who supported the late Lord Voldemort either begged temporary insanity or pleaded coercion for their role in perpetuating the violence and ultimately led a life of luxury and freedom. Quirrell was not delusional; he knew that they would turn back to their old ways when a new champion of their cause would rise again. He intended to be that champion, not because he was a supremacist of the pureblood philosophy but because he craved the power that went with being a dark lord. The masses feared power more than they feared punishments for their indiscretions in a peaceful world and the dark arts reveled in the power of fear.

Getting to the top of the ranks of the beleaguered death eaters was not easy, he knew that he had to be strong in his own right and cultivate an aura of intimidation around him. Threats would only work if he had the power and gumption to carry them out, a few would rebel initially but then the headless followers of the previous dark lord would flock to his banner. To rise above the masses he needed power but more importantly he needed knowledge and where else than the renowned library of Hogwarts would be better for his quest.

The only position available for him was to teach Muggle studies, even with his disdain for non magicals threatening to throw up the bile in him he accepted the position with enough candor not to raise the suspicion of Albus Dumbledore. However secretive he tried to be, his propensity to pour over books pertaining to less savory aspects of magic caught the attention of Severus Snape. Quirrell learnt that though Dumbledore trusted Snape and believed that he was the poster boy for his redemption card, very few knew where his loyalties truly lied. Quirrell was fortuitous in finding the ideal fount for his thirst of knowledge and through him learnt the darkest of all secrets. The Dark Lord Voldemort was not dead; he was in fact alive but banished as a wraith. The only reason that his loyal followers did not flock to him was because his whereabouts were currently unknown.

Quirrell's priorities changed after hearing that; being a feared dark lord did not hold much excitement anymore, he coveted the ultimate prize, Immortality. Lord Voldemort must have done something that allowed him to survive being disembodied. He wanted that secret for himself; if he played his cards right he might get the milk and the cream too, he could kill the dark lord and take over the reins while being immortal too. His eyes gleamed at the prospect of such a life.

Here he was now with a year of leave of absence granted by the headmaster, searching all around southern Europe. He spent the last few summers gathering intelligence and ultimately narrowed his search to this area. Finally, he hit pay dirt in the forested area near Lake Prespa on the border between Albania and Macedonia.

The sight of the eerily floating grey amoebic form of the most feared dark lord sent shivers of revulsion down his spine. Even in this grotesque incarnation Lord Voldemort managed to look menacing with his red eyes and their serpentine slits. Gritting his teeth, Quirrell put on the most elated expression he could manage while tempering his loathing for the wraith and addressed Lord Voldemort, "My Lord! At last I have found you." He managed to get down on his knees just in time to ensure that he did not come across as a fraud.

If the dark lord was surprised he did not show it, he never knew this man who came out looking for him; then again there were a lot of pure blood children who would have grown up to follow their parents' footsteps. Managing to look threatening while being unable to cause any harm was not easy at the least but Lord Voldemort managed to pull it off with élan. This was not an opportunity to be missed, but he could not come across as being desperate; he thrived by fear and he was not going to refrain from it now.

"Who are you? I have never seen you in my circle of death eaters before. How did you find me?" Lord Voldemort questioned Quirrell imparting a 'hiss' to his words. The quickly gathering darkness and the menacing eyes lent a theatrical import to the hissing tones and thoroughly cowed the man. Quirrell contemplated turning tail, but he knew that the dark lord was not forgiving and he remembered that he was better suited to defend himself compared to the dark lord who could not even carry a wand.

Gathering his waning courage he addressed with a pronounced stutter that always crept into his voice when he was terrified, "My name is Quirinus Quirrell My Lord. I have never been a member of your followers, but was always fascinated by your ideals and power. It was only recently that I learnt about you being alive and so began searching all around the globe; with my position as a professor at Hogwarts, it was easy for me to gather intelligence" the distaste when he mentioned his position at the school was evident even through his stutter.

Lord Voldemort was pleased but the uncharacteristic reference to power gave him pause. Keeping the hopeful man taking he used 'Legilimency' to dwell into his thoughts and garner his deepest secret. Unlike other wizards, Lord Voldemort did not need the use of a wand for some of his favourite spells. Though he was from the line of a daughter, he was still the descendant of Salazar Slytherin and could access some of his teachings that dwelt in 'wandless casting'. He was not a patient man and even though he would be no match or nearly half as proficient as the prophesied three, he could use enough spells to surprise others.

"What do you want in return?" He growled out.

Quirrell was ecstatic he managed to convince the feared one, "Nothing much My Lord. All I want is a place at your side and a chance to learn from you."

Lord Voldemort was distracted a bit as he was dwelling deeper into the mind of Quirrell. The man knew a bit of occlumency, but his shields were no match for the dark lord, 'Ah! You have a slippery tongue but you forgot that I am Lord Voldemort' he thought in glee.

Quirrell took it as hesitation on part of the dark lord and tried to offer up an incentive, "The headmaster has plans to bring the Philosopher's Stone to the castle as bait in an effort to trap you. He plans to use the traps and obstacles set to guard the stone as training for the Longbottom boy."

Lord Voldemort was surprised, "Longbottom? What happened to the Potter boy?"

"What about the Potter boy, My Lord? He is dead, killed by his muggle relations no less; isn't young Longbottom the one who thwarted you? Apparently Dumbledore spread the false trail to provide anonymity to the savior and safe guard him from all threats. He is being called 'The True Boy-Who-Lived' because of that."

"Yes! Yes" Lord Voldemort spoke distractedly but inside he was jumping for joy. 'So the old fool is trying to deceive the world of the death of the one spoken about in the prophecy. Let him try to stop me, I will crush him like a flobberworm that he is. Pity! I was hoping to face the Potter boy and get to know the power that thwarted me, but it's all for my benefit with him dead no one can stop me.'

The dark lord turned back to the expectant Hogwarts professor. 'This fool has thoughts of grandeur but a very feeble mind. He is not as powerful as I would like but is the best option available to me now. Oh! What's this? He knows about Severus' true loyalties and is friends, well as much as Severus allows anyone to be a friend, with him. I can easily overpower him and use the body to get back to Britain and Lucius; with help from Severus and the Philosopher's Stone I can get my body back.' With that he agreed to Quirrell's proposal of using a containment field in a box for transport.

Quirrell was overjoyed and began taking the box out of his ever expandable bag. While Quirrell was distracted, Lord Voldemort flew at him and immediately wrapped himself around his head. He could not possess the body that was Quirrell, only poltergeists and to some extents ghosts could do that, but with one as powerful as him and his expertise in the mind arts, Lord Voldemort took over the control of the body very easily. Lord Voldemort was only a hitch hiker, but Quirinus Quirrell was left as a mindless husk with the face of the most dreaded wizard protruding from behind his head.

"You fool! You thought you could overpower me; no one can control the greatest wizard of all time. Now take me to Severus" Lord Voldemort thundered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**At about the same temporal space, Scotland in the making, 1998 BC **

All the twelve adults responsible for taking care of Harry and the girls were situated in the parlour of Schlakett Manor as it was his turn to play host. Since the duties of administering the magical kingdom were relinquished to the next generation, they were all free to indulge in anything they wanted and so the erstwhile heads of the 'First Four' families opted to stay with the three children. There were gatherings that involved all their own children and grandchildren, but they were deliberately kept few and far in between so as to prevent any awkward moments when others were around to meet the current rulers. They wanted to keep the identity of the three children and their visitors from the future as secretive as possible.

Harry, Hermione, and Luna had a rare two days off from their lessons and opted to go horseback riding and visit the nearby highlands known for their picturesque beauty. This gave the adults an opportunity to frankly assess their progress and do it without their tutors being present.

All the three were making excellent progress in their studies, magical or otherwise but there were still a lot to be desired especially when it came to the girls. "Oh! Do not be mistaken, they are doing excellent for someone their age but they did not move an inch forward when it comes to their special gifts" Rowena exclaimed.

"Yes, Luna is unable to connect to the 'Life Force'; she apparently has trouble to even talk to the trees sometimes. She told me that it never happened before and almost broke down in tears. If not for Harry, I am sure she would have been catatonic and I believe it was the same with Hermione too" Helga Hufflepuff interjected.

Fitzwilliam sighed deeply, "That boy is a wonder; he is stretched thin sometimes not only with his own training but also with the troubles the girls are experiencing but he never complains. He may grouse over the training but never about the girls." Everyone was proud of the three children; even with the troubles they had in their lives, they were extremely loyal to each other, showed a thirst for learning and were determined to prove themselves. This lack of progress in what could be wonderful abilities was proving to be a very frustrating aspect not only to the girls and Harry but also to their tutors.

"May be it was not meant to be, doesn't it look strange that abilities that have never been associated with humans were seen in the two girls? It might have just been what they call 'accidental magic' that caused those incidents to happen" Fiona was hesitant when voicing her concern.

Everyone wanted to deny that, deep in their hearts they desired their descendants to have such awesome powers, but that honest assessment gave them pause.

After a few moments of thought Rowena, considered to be the brightest witch of her generation came to their defense, "No I do not think so. The incident where Hermione interfered with the two Ministry employees might have been accidental because they were in clear danger of being found out and they did not want that. But Luna had been communicating with trees nearly all her life. That can no way be accidental, no, there's something else going on."

"Now that you mention it, I've heard all the three complain about their bond" Helga Frairwood was interrupted by cries of astonishment and protests by the others. She silenced them with a glare, "If you will let me continue…" when the others looked sheepish at her she continued, "Nothing bad, I assure you, only that they still feel as if there is some kind of block that is not allowing them to access each other's magical core."

"Yes! I was of the opinion that they could draw magic from the others without much problem. You say that they are unable to do that?" her husband questioned. It was rhetorical but she answered in the affirmative again.

That brought some relief to the gathering and knowing what the problem was, they could now research for a solution if needed. "You know it may just be an issue with age. I mean they are only ten and going to be eleven in a few months but still, their magical cores are not developed yet. They were forced to use their magic for survival and so might have suppressed most of their raw talents. Maybe it's just an issue of time and they would be alright in a few years" Julian speculated.

That was the best possible explanation anyone could think of and was the most probable one to their dilemma. Salazar however threw a spanner in the works with his next comment, "You know it is strange that Harry does not have any special powers like the girls do. He is powerful, more than the average full grown wizard but still he is nothing special. I cannot imagine the 'prophesied one' not having an edge at beating evil."

Before anyone could comment on that, Harry entered the parlor sipping his juice with Hermione and Luna. The girls were glowing with happiness, no one had seen them so relaxed in a very long time; the ride had certainly done wonders for their stress. Harry was also looking very pleased with himself; it was after all his effort to fight tooth and nail to get two continuous days off from their lessons, intending to spend some time with the girls away from all the talk of training. His idea to go horseback riding certainly paid dividends, judging by the wide smiles on Hermione and Luna's faces.

"Prophesied One? What prophecy?" Harry asked settling himself in between his girls on the settee, who immediately latched onto the drinks he brought for them. That comment brought the atmosphere of frivolity crashing down.

Guilt ridden looks were liberally exchanged among the adults. They wanted to wait till the end of their training before burdening them with the prophecy that named the three of them as the saviours of the entire magical world. They now had no escape but to let them know about the prophecy given by _Laya_ less than a hundred years ago; they hoped that Lady Hedwig would at least be present when the time came. All eyes turned to Rowena while she took a deep breath and centered herself to begin the tale told by Lady Hedwig herself when she brought the prophecy from the realm of the gods to the land of mortals.

**Three born at the stroke of three…, Forged in the kiln of adversity…, The bonds of friendship strong…, The Being Supreme arisen of the three…, Bring forth the light smothered by the dark…, Unite will all the magic and the living…, With the Triumph of the Three…**

She recited with emotion trying to convey them the emotional turmoil they themselves felt when they heard the prophecy. She tried to portray the support and unconditional love they have for the three children amidst them in spite of the clear and present danger.

Harry was shocked and the girls were troubled hearing the prophecy; knowing that the fate of the entire world depended on you was overwhelming to them all. Those assembled did not know about the existence of the second prophecy given just before Harry's birth that pointed him as the one to kill the dark lord. If he knew that he might have been inconsolable, still he was barely keeping it together as he feared for the safety of his girls. He did not want them to be in any war, they knew that there was a dark lord and they might have to defeat him, but the prophecy put them squarely in the middle not as a part of an overwhelming force. Harry could handle himself being in danger but never in a million years had he wanted Hermione and Luna to be a part of it all.

Slowly but surely the realization set in and Harry was angry and lost his sense of propriety, "Wow! All this time I thought that you were doing all of this, helping us and training us to make sure that I was fit to govern the magical world. I never knew that this was preparing me to either kill or be killed. Thanks a lot!"

Everyone was shocked at the accusation, yes he acted mature than his age but he was still a child, well going to be eleven in a few months but still his insecurities regarding the adults in his life briefly reared its ugly head at that moment. His actions upon hearing the grim future were totally warranted though inappropriate, for a change he was acting like a kid that he was.

Before he could continue his rant, Rowena recovered her senses and tried to placate him, "Harry we all love you; all of us here want to help our own flesh and blood. Yes I admit that the prophecy kind of forced our hand but even if this prophecy was not there we would have still helped you if we knew about the state you were in and if we had the chance to help you."

The males wisely kept silent lest they utter something which would worsen the situation and so it was left to the ladies to take the initiative. "Harry, you have to understand that the prophecy was a shock to us also; we never dreamt that our families would be involved in such a situation. You have to realize that we are as concerned as you are regarding the danger you three were placed in, you may very well be the last of our families, our heritage" Elizabeth implored her grandson and was relieved to see that their words were getting through to him.

Lady Frairwood took up the cause, "It was foretold by the gods themselves Harry. Lady Hedwig brought the prophecy to the world of the mortals from the eternal land."

Harry deflated immediately, he knew he was irrational in venting his ire on his grandparents but he needed the outlet. Besides, how can you be angry at the gods! He dared not voice his displeasure lest he got a thunderbolt hitting his backside. He stormed outside and the girls forgot their drinks and darted after him to catch him by the waist in the corridor. They guided him to a bench in the garden, letting the cool evening air wash over them and provide momentary relief. Setting him in the middle, Hermione from his right side and Luna from his left wrapped him in a tight hug refusing to allow him to suffer alone. Harry lost the battle with very little effort on his part, how could he stay angry when he had his two lovelies upset on his behalf?

Hermione and Luna were upset too, but it was not fair for them to take it out on the adults who were doing their best to not only train them up but also provide comfort and a loving home, an effort which Harry never had directed at him for as long as he could remember and definitely not before coming here. But what was upsetting to them more was that Harry shut himself and his thoughts from them, and that meant that there definitely was something more than just the prophecy and its implications as the cause for his anger and despair.

"Harry?" Luna asked tentatively and aloud in English. They never had to talk out loud whenever they were alone as they were used to the intimacy the ability to talk non-verbally allowed them and it was the only time they reverted to English. This was done out of courtesy to their guardians who were from two different eras and so chose to use the Elvin Tongue as a common mode of communication.

Harry could never refuse anything to his two girls, "I love you both." He started hesitantly, "I would die to protect you two, but heaven forbid, I survive and you do not make out of this impending war, I have no doubt that I would not live to see the next day. Even this short time that I was unable to feel you was torture to me; I know people may think that we are too young but I need you both so much that it hurts to even think about a life without you in it. It's not the potential for my death that really worries me, although I do not want to leave you alone in a hostile world, the thought of an eternity alone devastates me."

"Harry, war is an uncertain event; you can predict neither the outcome nor the survivors. Do you think that Luna or I want to live in a world without you in it? You are the center of our world Harry! Even when we were out on the streets being by your side, able to cuddle into you at night was enough to keep me safe. That is all the world I want to live in, I do not care for some nameless faces Harry, I care for you. But to live in that world, we have no choice but to fight, and what help we are getting now will make sure that we come out whole."

Luna chirped in, "Don't you think that the best way to ensure that we are safe is by your side, even in a war?"

That brought a laugh out of Harry, "You do have a twisted sense of logic My Luna girl."

All the three knew that it was a tacit approval of the idea, what better way than being in the presence of your loved ones to ensure their safety? Harry did not know the answer for that. They sat for a few minutes more, mainly enjoying the cool air but also to give Harry time to compose himself; being a ten year old and in the embrace of two lovely girls did wonders and he was back to his normal self in no time.

Entering the parlor, Harry felt a little trepidation at the unwarranted outburst but he had to suck it up and do the right thing. Every eye was focused on him the moment he entered the room but amazingly he did not find any hostility or even disapproval in them, only unconditional love. His heart swelled in pride at his amazing heritage, he had a tough legacy to live up to; he thanked his girls when they chimed in through their bond, "_**We are proud of you too and will stay with you all the way Harry!**_"

Before he could say anything though, they were startled by the sudden arrival of Lady Hedwig in her characteristic rainbow hued flames. Greeting the eternal messenger, they settled down and returned to their abandoned drinks, waiting for the Lady to state the reasons for her visit.

She did not disappoint, "I sensed some discontent among my favourite children…"

Harry blushed a bright red when he came under scrutiny; he understood that it was time for him to own up, "I am very sorry for my irrational anger, I should not have shouted at you when you were trying to make the best of an impossible situation" he completed a formal bow and sat down to beaming smiles from all those around. His girls latched onto him, showering him with praise through their bond while kissing his cheeks simultaneously from either side.

That cute gesture raised everyone's spirits and gave them the confidence that not everything was lost; as long as these three were happy with each other nothing could faze them.

Lady Hedwig beamed at him, "Do not apologize for saying what your heart tells you young Harry. Despite what master Grimjaw told you, it is better to let your hurt out especially in the company of loved ones. It heals the heart."

Harry was grateful that the situation he found himself in did not turn too troublesome for him. Yes letting out all the anguish and frustrations he felt when his girls failed at their goals despite their best efforts was good. He felt surprisingly lighter and the tension that accumulated through the days seemed that much lessened.

All levity however ended when everyone saw the unusually grim face of Lady Hedwig. She gave a wry smile when she saw the expectant faces of her audience, "I am afraid, I do not bring glad tidings. The darkness had managed to take root again." Pausing to gasps of horror she continued, "The Dark Lord Voldemort had managed to coerce a Hogwarts professor into taking him to the castle in a bid to manufacture a new body for himself. I am sorry to say that he would succeed too."

This was a very bad blow to their preparations, they always thought that they had enough time to get the three trained and up to speed with their duties as king and queens of the magical world in the Isles. Now they were in a quandary, they have to not only continue with their unfinished training but also hope that as they grow and develop so would their magical core too and allow them to access their amazing abilities, in Harry's case maybe something that has not been unlocked yet. Would that mean that they would have to allow the events to take place, let Lord Voldemort stake his claim over the land?

Godric voiced the thoughts of them all, "Surely there is something we, rather you could do? What about taking these three to the time before all this madness started? Let them stop the professor from going to get the dark lord or better yet follow him and snuff him off where ever he was staying?"

"My dear Godric Gryffindor, if they were to go to the time you specified, how old would they have to be?"

Confused as to where this was going, Godric answered uncertainly, "They would have to be just short of eleven years old."

Lady Hedwig gave him an indulgent smile, "Yes! But how could they look like say twenty year olds when they were only supposed to be eleven?"

Everyone could understand what she was trying to say but surely time could be bent to accommodate them. Unfortunately, Lady Hedwig dashed their hopes, "Time is linear my children, the time you spend even in the past would be counted in the future too. If you spend five years here and now, you would have aged those years even when you go back to your correct time period. The flow of time cannot be altered, and neither can the rate of the flow. The laws of time are not to be trifled with; even the gods are bound by them. Brining the three children here should not have been possible; it was only at the discretion of the gods that this event happened and a onetime dispensing too."

Learning the truths about time and its unhindered flow left them reeling. It meant that however hard anyone might try anything that had already happened had to happen, as time was always flowing. Events could not be undone and they would have to let the dark lord regain a body and hope that Harry, Hermione, and Luna could complete their training before their world would come to much harm.

Lady Hedwig interrupted their thoughts, "Think about it this way, if they have to look like eleven year olds, then they will _be_ eleven year olds both physically and in their abilities too. If they trained for seven years to be the best they could be then they will have to train for seven years again to get to that point" Lady Hedwig hammered her point home ensuring that even the dullest of the lot would understand her.

If they want the three to look like eleven years olds, then they might send them back right now. All the training and preparation would be a waste if they opt to send them to a time before the start of the second rise of Lord Voldemort after spending an enormous amount of time to get them to be the best at what they needed to do.

"Do not fret my children, the warriors of the light have enough on their side to see that the dark lord would not take complete control of the land. If everything goes well and as anticipated, then these three will arrive at the opportune moment to turn the tide of things and end the threat forever." It was not needed to specify who the one was doing the anticipation, as the supreme rulers of the universe, the three embodiments of natural order would know the entire script of the play even though the mortals could do nothing to change it. It would take something catastrophic and unanticipated to really surprise the gods and one such event brought about the birth of these three children of prophecy.

Everyone was lost in contemplation after that discourse and so were startled when Salazar exclaimed, "I know what the problem is."


	15. Chapter 15

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 15**

Every one of those in the parlour had a befuddled expression and so Salazar repeated, "I think I know what the problem is."

The apparent non-sequitur threw them off and so could only respond with a well-articulated "Huh?"

Salazar rolled his eyes in response; the expression was so uncharacteristic of him that it only helped in deepening the shocked puzzlement of the audience. Being around the kids was helping him to lessen his dour attitude. "We were discussing about the special powers of Harry or rather the lack thereof and why the girls were unable to progress in their training…" he gestured widely in front of him as if he was trying to wake them up.

That brought the life back to the group, "Oh! Yeah" were liberally thrown in, while Rowena took the time to explain to Lady Hedwig, Harry, and the girls, what took place before the three barged in.

When the attention returned back to Salazar he began, "I think that I know what might be hindering them to reach their potential." Pausing dramatically he sniggered at the impatient expressions of his rapt audience, "We know that Harry has two magical cores instead of the usual one. They were from two powerful families too and so they are probably fighting for dominance or even cancelling out each other keeping his powers from maturing. For normal spell casting he might be drawing randomly from either core or maybe they take turns or something. But the point is that they might not be at ease with each other."

"Brilliant" exclaimed his grandfather the Lord Schlakett, while others gave murmurs of assent at the plausibility of his explanation.

Bolstered by their acceptance he continued, "We know from Luna and the fairies that there needs to be a communication between the 'Life Force' and the magical core. It is quite possible that the two cores were warring to be the one that connected to his 'Life Force' and since they are equally powerful, no one gained the upper hand. I feel that there has to be synergy between the two cores for any talents or unique abilities to manifest."

While everyone agreed to this possibility, Fiona wanted to know, "How do you explain the lack of progress for the girls?"

It was Rowena that answered, "We know that some of the abilities need enough power to work. Since they are unable to fully form their bond, some of their power might be used to constantly maintain the bond, or they might need a power boost from Harry which they were unable to at this moment."

Lady Hedwig heaved a resigned sigh gathering everyone's attention, "I can understand what you are trying to say. There has to be balance between the cores residing inside Harry and for that there is only one person who can help us. Since it is nearly the time for dinner, I do not think she will appreciate our barging in at this hour. We will meet her early in the morning."

All of them accepted the wisdom of that suggestion. Lady Fiona Schlakett was especially happy that Lady Hedwig accepted her hospitality for the night.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Next morning just as the sun was peeking over the horizon, Lady Hedwig flashed the humans out of the manor. No one wanted to miss the opportunity to meet someone new and no doubt powerful; the potential to learn how to correct what was an unprecedented occurrence was also a motivation. This may be the only time they would encounter someone with two fully functional magic cores, the chance to meet the one who could restore balance in Harry was tantalizing and so every one of the adults elected to make the trip. Hermione and Luna of course did not even contemplate leaving Harry's side and it was fortunate too as they were to be present during the process. The only ones who were stopped from accompanying them were _Needa_ and Clandi, "Only those who have a need to go to that place are allowed and the adults are only allowed as they are your guardians" Lady Hedwig explained.

They landed in a glade with a riot of colours, it did not matter whether it was from the flowers or the amazing variety of birds and animals; it was so brilliant that it took some time before their eyes stopped watering and adjust to the display. What was amazing was that both predator and prey lived in harmony; balance was evident everywhere even without an effort to be obvious. The place was one of peace and tranquility.

"All the animals and birds you see suffered great pain in their lives, some lost their life mates or loved ones, some were injured so badly that they lost the will to live, and some were even killed out of malice" Lady Hedwig explained for their benefit.

There were gasps of shock but mostly of awe, "What is this place?" Godric, the ever romantic breathed. He dared not raise his voice in fear of upsetting the owner of this amazing place.

Lady Hedwig had a soft smile on her face, "This is a place on earth where angels used to frequent." She heaved a great sigh of regret, "Now there is only one left alive on this planet. Mortals cannot find this place and they are even barred from entering; only my presence here will open the gates for you. Entry into her domain however, is on her discretion only."

"What happened to the angels?" Luna had a hitch in her voice when she asked that. The amazement that they felt on learning that angels were indeed real and that they used to live here was suddenly replaced by a sense of loss when they realized that a lot of angels died.

"Angels are born, not nurtured. Mortals of pure heart, selfless and forever giving of themselves without asking for anything in return are granted this boon to carry on their cherished way of life even after their normal lives have ended. They are given a new lease of life and brought here. However, the vagaries of time catch up with everyone; even the gods are subject to its laws though they have a great leeway. The times have changed so much that there are very few born with such selflessness."

Almost all of them were confused, and Harry beat the others to the punch, "I thought that angels were immortal and that they earned their rest. What is this duty you are talking about My Lady? They live here in peace for the rest of their lives right?"

Lady Hedwig gave him a grim smile, "I wish it was that way young prince. The gods actually do not trouble themselves to take care of the world they created. They have so much on their hands sculpting the entire universe that they delegated the duty of generally taking care of life to others. The '_Rakshas_' (Demons) wreak havoc on the orders of '_Vinasa_' so that new and better construction can come up in turn. The building is done by the '_Devatas_' (Physical embodiments of the four elements and the good in the world) on the whims of '_Srusthi_' and they give life to new creations using the stardust. The angels work to maintain balance on earth; they do the bidding of '_Laya_' working to balance out destruction and creation. Without them the world would have drowned in chaos a long time ago. Life as you see today would not have been possible without them."

With that discourse, Lady Hedwig touched the earthen mound lying innocuously in their path, which shaped itself into an arch and allowed all the humans to pass through, which they took as a permission to enter much to their relief. They entered what looked like a shrine where a woman of unearthly beauty was playing a loom like instrument which emitted a melody that was alluring to all the males. They were reduced to blubbering idiots and only Harry was spared the ignominy as his bond with Hermione and Luna kept him safe.

The ones which remained coherent were shocked when Lady Hedwig fell prostrated before the resident of the place and they hastened to mimic her. A sharp dig in the ribs brought compliance from the males of the party.

"Arise my children, though it is a wonder why you brought them to me my Lady…" she trailed off, but when her eyes fell on the three children she gave them a knowing smile, "Ah! It seems that my journey has come to its end."

It took a while for the three children to understand the meaning behind her words but they quickly backed away in horror. The angel explained that she could give up her own ability to enforce balance in order to do what was needed, but that will end her life too. Before Harry could voice his protest though, she spoke up, "You do not have a choice in this matter young ones. It is my duty to help everyone that comes to my door, every step we take is already planned out by the immortal three. I am the only one who can restore balance in you, I believe that was the only reason I was allowed to stay this long in this world while my brethren faded away."

That got their attention; Hermione and Luna dearly wanted Harry to accept the gift he was being given but refrained from voicing their opinions. Harry could sense their feeling of hope at the amazing potential that could be achieved when his magical cores would be balanced. His musings were cut short when the angel elaborated, "If the chaos inside you is not tamed, it would eat you up and you will end up a dry stick, of no use to anyone. You have been touched by the gods for a reason child and it is your destiny to carry out their whims as I have been doing all these years."

Then she turned stern, "Sometimes as a leader, you have the unenviable duty to make some tough decisions. The choice between saving one person and the entire population should not even be debated unless you have reservations about the outcome. Even through all of that you have to understand and stick to one important thing."

Here she paused and Harry along with his girls realized that he was to acknowledge that he was paying attention which he did without any delay, allowing her to continue, "You cannot force a fate on someone, even though you may be the ruler of all. I made this choice of my own free will; it was my desire to do good that prompted me. The 'greater good' can only be meaningful when each and every person is allowed to live their life the way they want to, within the laws of the land of course, and not the way you want them to live. Always remember this rule Harrius Potter, Hermione Potter, and You Luna Potter and it will serve you well."

Hearing the girls being addressed by his surname brought a smile to Harry's face and reminded him the reason why all this was being done. After a brief voiceless discussion with his bond mates, which the angel was able to listen in with a fond smile, Harry agreed. They were startled when the angel spoke into their bond, "_**Do not fret Your Majesty. My destiny was to help you and yes, you were right. If you do not accept this gift then your own destiny will be unfulfilled. Do this, not for your own benefit but for your wives and the countless others that depend on you to restore peace and equality in your own world and in your own time.**_" What they did not know was that the ability to reaffirm balance to a world lost in chaos was added to their legacy and whenever there was a need, a Potter, Granger, Lovegood or Black always answered the call.

All the three children joined her in embrace, "Now lose the protections you placed around your minds and allow the bond to open to its fullest." When they complied with her instruction, all four of them were engulfed in a bright light; surprisingly it was not harsh on the watchers. The event lasted for more than ten minutes and when it faded all three children were asleep in each other's embrace with Harry in the middle as usual. The angel however was nowhere to be seen.

Her sacrifice did not go in vain though; her very essence brought new life on earth and a new magical race capable of enchanting males with their allure was born that day. They were given the gift of exceptional beauty and the ability to defend themselves with conjured fire balls when needed or by reducing amorous males to blundering fools; they were called Veela.

The adults gazed at the three children with conflicting emotions; they were happy that Harry was whole at last but at the same time sad that a life was shortened. Rowena broke the silence that descended on them, "So was the loss of one who maintained balance the reason that darkness took root and nearly destroyed the world?"

Lady Hedwig replied in a saddened tone, "No, you heard her say that she was probably only alive to do her duty to Harry. Even if she did not do what she did, she would have continued to fade away as she tried to restore balance to an increasingly problematic world. She was the last one alive and with an increase in the population, and fights and struggles increasing in intensity, she would have been stretched thin and constantly in pain. At least this way she left this realm in peace…"

Julian accompanied by Fitzwilliam and Godric picked the still entwined kids in their arms and turned to Lady Hedwig, "Let's get them home."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Though the three children in the infirmary looked like they were placed in stasis, rapid changes were taking place inside their bodies, the most profound of which was in Harry. Before this time, Harry's 'Life Force' was unable to fully utilize the magical energy present in the two cores as they constantly fought for dominance. Only when there was a threat to the very existence of the body they were residing in, did the two cores manage to override their differences. The magic inside the two cores was from two different but ancient and powerful families, and because of that neither of the two managed to get the upper hand. His 'Life Force' was forced to glean the energy leaked out during their scuffle to augment the energy derived from food for its sustenance. This resulted in a lot of damage to Harry's body severely reducing his life span, let alone let him develop his dormant abilities.

With the angel's blessing, the two cores were now perfectly synchronized. When once they were jostling for the prime spot in Harry's chest cavity, now their very physical structure underwent a massive transformation. The two pulsing globes were now connected by a thick stem of energy derived equally from both the globes, forming a dumbbell of pure magical energy. The two cores were still distinct, preserving the heritage of the two families, but the central stem was now a unique entity in itself. From this newly arisen amalgamation of power, Harry's 'Life Force' began drawing the much needed power for awakening and enhancing his dormant abilities.

One of the main reasons for Harry's abilities to have remained dormant was the lack of coordination between the two cores. Both the families, through the years have mastered a few abilities which were unique to either family and in the ideal situation Harry would have been able to use the abilities from both the families equally. But before all of this, if one of the cores was to expend more energy than the other, there could have been a coup d'état of sorts and the exhausted magical core would have been devoured by the other and lost forever. But now, if one was overdrawn, then the other could feed the tired core without such a threat and almost reach a state where the synchronized cores attain self-sustenance in their power requirements.

The cords of magical energy which acted as a channel between Harry and the girls were previously tethered precariously to the surface of the two cores. Instead of a single grounding, the cords had to spread out their tendrils to hold onto both the cores and were unable to fully integrate. The magical energy the girls had to expend to maintain the connection was thus distributed to two different cores inside Harry, instead of the usual one. Due to the conflict between the cores, Harry was unable to provide his part of the magical energy into the bargain. Therefore the flimsy cords were only able to ferry thoughts between the two individuals.

Now a power house was available to fuel the bond. The cords of magical energy now became entwined with the stem of the dumbbell inside Harry right at the region where the magical energy from the two individual cores was churning into a new magical essence. This brought the cords from Hermione and Luna into close proximity to each other and a new tendril grew that connected them both totally independent from Harry. Where once Hermione and Luna were connected to Harry alone, they were now directly connected to each other albeit inside Harry's core and being powered by his magic. Though Hermione and Luna could not share power between themselves, they could share their thoughts without Harry being privy to them, not that they would try or even want to try. It became a truly three way bond.

The thin cords that connected Harry to Hermione and Harry to Luna grew not only in thickness but in their contents too. While before it was a single channel, it now comprised of a cluster of channels all wrapped in an outer sheath of magical energy borrowed almost entirely from Harry's synchronized cores. Each of the channels was able to individually ferry thoughts, feelings, magical energy, and even 'Life Force'.

Harry, Hermione, and Luna were now sharing a single soul.

Ten days after their trip to the land of the angels, the three bond mates began to show some life, prompting the adults and the children's tutors to gather around their bed. It was a common sight to see the three of them asleep entwined, the only difference this time was that they were fully clothed. During the entire process of reshaping their bodies, the three of them were fully conscious only not aware of their surroundings and so were able to understand all the changes and also fully exchange information regarding their abilities.

When awareness returned, they spied the tension and wariness written on the assembled people's faces and hastened to placate them, "We are all fine, really." Harry said only to be surpassed by Hermione and Luna chiming, "… In fact more than fine, we are brilliant!" in unison.

That restored some semblance of normality to the watchers, before healer Vaidya came forward to run her diagnostics on the three prone young ones. They did not make any effort to protest or even deign to sit up; they learnt the hard way that when the healer was on a mission she did not tolerate any nonsense from her patients.

"They all are in perfect health, both mentally and physically. My scans are revealing that they have in fact undergone enormous changes in all of them. Care to elaborate?" she questioned which was enthusiastically seconded by the others.

Harry, Hermione, and Luna took turns to explain all the changes that took place not only in Harry's magical core but also in the three way symbiotic bond that connected all three.

"That's amazing! I have never heard of a completely formed bond between three people. Would you allow my healers and researchers the chance to examine it in detail?" King Megam of the fairies requested the three, which Hermione granted after a quick glimpse into the emotions of the other two.

All of them wanted to know if the maturation of their bond had enhanced their abilities, but were too polite to ask. The disappointment that they would feel if the answer was in the negative also stilled their tongues, but Hermione obliged them in a flamboyant fashion. "Wow! Rowena, Mum, you think too much."

All the three bond mates, they were no longer children in the laws of magic now, burst into chuckles and giggles. Harry and Luna had no problem in understanding Hermione's thought process but the others who did not have that luxury exchanged looks of bewilderment, though Lord Legolas had a calculating smile on his face.

Hermione bowed her head in deference to the warrior and teacher of the High Elves before continuing, "I am able to visualize the electrical signals that are generated by the brain to control the body" seeing the confusion on everyone except for Harry she used a polyseme, "you can call them brain waves, I suppose." It was not exactly a description she would have liked to use to explain to those who did not know about electricity, who were everyone else except Harry, but it was pretty much an apt description.

"Most of these signals lead outward from the brain into the other parts of the body, probably carrying out orders for proper bodily function. Others remain inside the brain and more often than not multiply when they enter individual cells, these are thoughts I guess?" Hermione half stated looking at Lord Legolas.

The Elvin warrior beamed at his disciple, "Excellent! You have not only been able to sense the '_aadesa pogulu_' (command threads), but also distinguish between the functional and intellectual threads." That was high praise from one of the masters who could manipulate such electrical signals and take control of an enemy's actions.

"You will have to decipher what each one of that thread means and then learn to manipulate the command embedded in that thread." It sounded easy but Hermione was sure that it would be anything but. Now that she understood what an exciting prospect the new power has given her, she could envision herself saying 'These are not the droids you are looking for'. She had to suppress a giggle but Harry burst out laughing at the image. They had to convince the others that this was not the time to be discussing what made Harry laugh but still promised to let them know at a later date.

What they heard from Hermione egged everyone to turn to her sister wife and Luna did not disappoint. Being the inquisitive girl she was, Luna turned her attention to Harry and began describing the movements of the packets that represented the 'Life Force' within him. "They are like small lights giving a soft glow just like the fireflies but this light is not coloured, instead it's a pure white."

When she tried to concentrate on one of the packets inside Harry's little finger, it seemed to slow down in its flight. It was almost as if it was waiting for Luna's commands, the act was so startling to Luna that she broke her concentration and what she was doing with a little squeak of surprise.

Healer Vaidya was commenting what Luna was doing for the benefit of others and she gave her a broad smile. Clapping her hands, she was almost fluttering through the air in delight, hovering in front of Luna the healer exclaimed, "Yes! That's what I was saying all these days." Every one of the watchers were delighted with the developments, even Salazar lost his normal stoic expression and high fived Godric, "We will kick the training into high gear now" they cheered for the three life mates. Master Goblin Grimjaw had a gleam in his eyes which did not bode well for the three students but it was all the more needed if they have to be the best.

An uncomfortable silence descended on the gathering as everyone was trying to avoid the elephant in the room. They wanted to know about Harry's abilities but they were hesitant to raise the issue, dreading the disappointment he would feel if he did not have any special abilities. The three bond mates realized what the adults were fidgeting about. Though it was funny, Harry was touched by their gesture and so he did not prolong the discomfort, after all, they discovered that he could indeed do a lot.

In his most dejected voice he could muster, Harry spoke up, "I have the ability to manipulate the four elements." He could not hold the façade for long as the emotions playing on their guardians and their teachers' faces cracked the three of them up. The myriad of emotions cycled through resignation, acceptance, astonishment, disbelief, and finally settled on indignation at the prank. They however were too delighted to take offense and immediately joined in the general celebration of the wonderful news. They realized that Salazar's earlier comments on their training were now more relevant than ever.

Harry could not really create any of the four elements, he could only manipulate them. Earth and air were common and while earth was available almost everywhere, air was omnipresent and so manipulating them to his advantage in a fight would not be a problem. The other two, fire and water, however posed a problem; Harry had an advantage where others would have faltered. With his ability to do wandless magic, he could first bring forth both of them using his magic and then manipulate them to his will. In a pinch, the girls could pitch in with the magic part; it would appear as if Harry was indeed able to create the four elements at will, a feat which was restricted to four of the '_Devatas_' who were entrusted with the task.

The best part of becoming entwined for life was that they could 'see' what the other two partners were able to visualize and manipulate, if they concentrated hard enough. Harry and Luna could also command _Needa_ through Hermione and Hermione and Luna could also do the same to Clandi, which they were unable to do before. Their bond was now buzzing with not only their own shared thoughts, words, and emotions, but also that of their familiars. Any one of them could call for their assistance if needed.

Though the awakened abilities were a boon, they quickly realized that it had a very drastic down side too. All the new senses and thought processes that they were unaccustomed to left them disoriented if they concentrated on it for a long time and they had to concentrate on their partner's magic if they wanted to visualize the others' ability. They could not use the ability they lacked even if they wanted to but they could sense what one of them was about to do and even follow the progress as it were. This gave them a massive advantage as they could either prepare themselves for the fallout or coordinate their own attacks to devastating effect.

Harry, Hermione and Luna realized that they would need to take some time getting used to all the new input and relearn the ability to function properly while they were concentrating on accessing the abilities of their partners that were not inherent to them. This led them to argue with their tutors and put a halt to their plans on starting the advanced training right away much to everyone's disappointment. In the end all the three of them would take a two month break from the training, the only prolonged break they would get in the current era.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was fifteen days after their eleventh birthday and the three life mates were back to the rigors of learning to use their exceptional abilities in combat. Added to that, their training in the general uses of magic that was closely following the curriculum of Hogwarts, was also taking up a large chunk of their day. Harry and the girls were by now considered married, even though they did not have a proper ceremony, and so were treated as adults, especially now that Harry was of the age when he could claim his lordship.

The reason for the presence of the four Hogwarts founders was more evident now as Godric and Salazar began dueling with them using their wands and incantations either spoken out loud or non-verbally. The goal was to prepare them for detecting the curses by their colour alone and also recognize the incantations for what they were. Godric and Salazar were not planning to hold back either, as they were made aware of the favourite tactics of the death eaters by Luna. She was the daughter of a newspaper editor and even though her parents tried to shield her from the gruesome details, Luna was not to be deterred.

The talk inevitably turned to the small matter of the three's attendance at Hogwarts. This time Harry and his wives were present for the discussion and were amused at the raging arguments for and against their attendance. What they did not know though was that their guardians were beating a dead horse and were at an impasse. They knew that by now the letters would have been sent out and the newly identified students replied either their acceptance or rejection. How they would take the lack of any reply on the part of Harry, Hermione and Luna was not known; would someone take the time to try and visit them to see what the matter was. In Hermione's case, it was obvious that a member of the faculty would have to meet her and explain the new world to her.

Finally after half an hour of arguing in circles, they deferred to the ones who would have to attend. Harry cut to the heart of the matter right away when he was allowed to speak, "Would a formal Hogwarts education prepare us to do what we need to do? Not to mention, would we be able to continue our advanced training to control and enhance our special powers?"

When put that way, there was no option but to bow to the inevitable. "No, you need specialized tutors for that" Atracus sighed.

"… Like what we are getting now" Hermione appeared to have continued from where Harry left off.

Luna seamlessly took up the cause, "Does that answer your questions?"

Harry stood up from the couch he was sharing with the girls and with one of his wives on each arm, left the parlour without even a backward glance. He promised his wives a walk and by gods, he was going to take them on one.

The others exchanged glances and Raven spoke what was on everyone's mind, "That was eerie…"


	16. Chapter 16

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 16**

**1****st**** September 1991, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

A few eyebrows were raised at the absence of three incoming students at the opening feast of the new school year. Muggleborns not attending a school that preached what for them was a fantasy was accepted and was not an uncommon occurrence either, but the absence of 'The Distraction' as he was being called now, Harry Potter and a pureblood witch Luna Lovegood was surprising. Most of the students were now convinced that Harry Potter was indeed used as a distraction to divert attention away from 'The True Boy-Who-Lived' Neville Longbottom.

"Poor boy, how awful must have he felt when that imposter claimed the title…"

"I knew that there was no way that the savior would be born to a mudblood…"

"The true savior…" were some of the comments that could be heard immediately after the last student was called forth to be sorted and even before the feast could start. Even that did not last for long as everyone was swept away in the euphoria of Neville Longbottom attending Hogwarts and how privileged they were to say that they were friends with him.

The boy in question was reveling in all the attention and accolades that were pouring in. He was not the only one as his best mate one Ronald Weasley was regaling whoever was listening about the adventures he shared with 'The True Boy-Who-Lived'. They were even impressed with the 'Unassuming Sidekick' who saved the life of the savior on more than one occasion when they were in the midst of either fierce battles or a sprung ambush.

Bonhomie prevailed that evening and the great hall of the castle looked more like a carnival rather than a school and the three missing students were soon forgotten.

The headmaster's thoughts however were a little less pleasant, in fact he was furious at the display. Despite his strict instructions to keep a low profile, it looked like the entire world knew about the boy who now took the limelight as the one who vanquished Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore could not really blame the public and their adoration, it was recovering slowly after a brutal war, the fear of reprisal still heavy in their minds and any light in the darkness was welcome; but the blatant display of egoism while basking in the glory by the one who was to be the face of the 'light side' was unacceptable. Leaders of the light have to be humble and maintain a certain image of fierce determination to do what was right.

'The arrogance!' Albus Dumbledore seethed in his inner most thoughts. 'Only a year ago he was labeled as a squib and now he struts around as if he was the most powerful wizard after Meriln and well, me. Did I make a mistake in bringing him into the limelight instead of burying the legacy of the one who was a reminder of my greatest mistake? Was I wrong in giving hope to a world that was drowning fast?' but he was never the one to even think that he could do anything wrong and so gave up his regrets however fleeting they might have been. He plastered a smile, for the benefit of his colleagues and the student body, which unfortunately was not genuine due to a lingering feeling of foreboding in the deepest recess of his thoughts, which refused to go however hard he might try.

What he did not contemplate however was whether he was right in placing the burden of revived hope and the struggle that lay ahead in order to vanquish the darkness forever, on a young man who was clearly not worthy of the task neither by divine will nor by his potential.

Another one who put up a façade of happiness regarding the occasion was the deputy headmistress Minerva McGonagall. She was saddened by the loss of three students to the roster but what stung the most was the absence of Harry Potter. She could not believe Dumbledore when he told her all those years ago that the son of her favourite couple was dead at the hands of the guardians that Dumbledore himself placed the boy with. McGonagall was feeling the shame in caving to the headmaster's persuasions even when she saw how unsuitable guardians the Dursleys were. Now the sorting ceremony confirmed her worst fears regarding not only the safety of Harry Potter but also the future of the wizarding world in Britain, for she was the only other one who knew the truth about the night that left little Harry an orphan and in whom Dumbledore also confided in, about the subterfuge that was the legacy of 'The True Boy-Who-Lived', on which he was pinning his hopes. Severus Snape knew that Harry Potter was left alive after the attack by Lord Voldemort but he never knew how the dark lord lost his bodily existence and since the Longbottom family was also attacked the same night, he was no better off.

McGonagall noticed that the three names on the magically updating student roster were not only, not struck through as was the case if the person was dead but were not easily legible, as if someone had used an obscure charm. She hoped that this meant that the three missing students were alive and were hidden so securely that even the castle's magic could not track them down. It certainly was some cause for cheer on what otherwise was proving to be a dismal day.

She debated on the issue of alerting the headmaster to the development. 'That old fool went against my advice and nearly got Lily's son killed. If I tell him that he may be alive, he would be back to his controlling self, trying to find Harry. I hope that wherever he was staying was of his own volition and he was alive, being taken care of, and happy. Let the manipulative coot mold Mr. Longbottom and divert the attention form the real savior, I only hope that young Harry would be on time to rescue us if there was ever a need'.

With that decision made, she crumpled the parchment she used to read the names out for the sorting and hid it away in her pocket. Tonight it was going to be added to the kindling in her quarters as it was the only way to keep it safe from prying eyes.

The feast went on in boisterous fashion and at its conclusion the headmaster gave out the general rules while stressing that a cornered off corridor on the third floor of the west wing was out of limits to the students. After the conclusion of the feast and the students dismissed, the members of the staff also went about securing the castle and begin their nighttime patrols. Of them all, two colleagues were re-acquainting themselves after more than a year.

"Congratulations Quirinus on your getting the Defense Against Dark Arts position in lieu of your earlier Muggle Studies appointment" the potions professor Severus Snape wished the newly appointed DADA teacher. The young man appeared nonchalant but Severus could detect a deception in him, though for the life of him he could not place it.

"Thank you professor, I admit I did not foresee it."

"Your absence for one year forced the headmaster to consider Professor Burbage and seeing that she was well informed about that world, he offered her an extended position and she accepted. You have to admit though; it does play into your hands and help you in your search for power." Snape tried to glean more information regarding the real reason that the man was away for one year, looking for new ways of boosting his magical core.

When Quirrell did not come forth with any news, the senior of the two tried a direct approach, "How was your quest Quirinus?"

"It was very enlightening my dear Severus."

The informal and easy camaraderie which was uncharacteristically on display gave the potions master pause. Seeing the raised eyebrow, Quirrell continued as if he was not interrupted, "Come now Severus, do you not see the truth behind the mask? Your true master does not always choose to be himself you know."

A range of emotions flickered on the face of the usually dour man; confusion, disbelief than finally joy won out. He did his best to maintain his stoic expression and made to kneel before his lord and master.

"Refrain from such displays in the castle Severus; we have to keep up appearances after all. You may refer to me as Quirinus within these walls." Lord Voldemort was feeling generous after meeting one of his faithful followers, one who he might even call an associate due to the very similar positions they were in. Both were born to muggle fathers and both despised the fact that the noble lines of their mothers' were thus polluted.

Severus corrected himself, "Yes my Lord" he acquiesced.

Resuming their walk Severus wondered why his usually impeccable Lord deigned to make himself look like a fool and endure the ridicule even though it was nor really directed at him, "Then why the stutter Master?"

He got a feral smile in return, "During my travels, I had the misfortune of meeting a vampire which scared the dignity out of me. Besides, no student could …le….lea….learn f…. f…. from me …now…..ca….ca…n they?" he spoke with a pronounced stutter which was lacking during his earlier secluded interaction with Snape. The potions master was surprised that he did not pick up on the clear lack of stutter during their talk; 'I am losing my edge' was his contemptuous assessment of himself. He had to admit though that his Lord was correct, there was no point in training students who could turn around and use that training against them.

Gathering his wits about Snape questioned, "May I assume that you are interested in the hidden artifact?"

Only a nod of the head was the answer but when he tried to steer towards the forbidden corridor, Lord Voldemort raised a hand stopping him, "Patience Severus, the all Hallows eve is not too far away. It is only fitting that I regain my supremacy exactly ten years after my temporary defeat. In the meantime I need you to brew a few potions for me. You should also contact our friend Lucius Malfoy and ask him to deliver the object I entrusted him with, to you as soon as he could without arousing suspicion. Take care not to spill our secrets to anyone yet…" he fixed the potions professor with a disconcerting look.

Snape knew to never challenge that look and so hastened to assure his master that he would do the task to his approval. Lord Voldemort continued, "He probably should ready his manor for some important guests on the night in question."

"It will be done my Lord" Snape bowed his head.

After a few moments of walking in silence he asked, "What of Quirrell my Lord?"

"Do I detect some sympathy for a lost soul Severus?"

The potions master scoffed at the idea, one of the very few who could do that in front of the dark lord, "He was an interesting conversation."

"Ah! I wondered how you got to call him a friend."

Snape stopped suddenly at that rejoinder, "Friend master?"

"Yes, He considered you as one" Lord Voldemort replied without breaking his stride, leaving behind a shuddering Severus Snape.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**31****st**** October 1991, Malfoy Manor in North West England near Wales**

A couple of hours before midnight, the Malfoy manor was a hive of activity with both the Lord and Lady Malfoy falling over themselves to do the bidding of their master. They were used to the luxury of doing what they wanted and when they wanted but the dark lord was not one to be disappointed. Both the elder Malfoys realized that their days of lording over the others were at an end since their lord would do the ruling. On the other hand this also meant that the time for cleansing the filth in their brethren was at hand; only those of pure birth would be allowed to use magic and to achieve that, they were willing to dirty their expensive robes.

Severus Snape was a figure of concentration as he began preparing for the ritual that would give a new body to the dark lord. The man in question was trying to gulp down as many potions as he could keep in his stomach without throwing up. He was without a body for a long time and even though the body he inhabited in was enough to get around, still his soul was not residing in it. That meant that he had to use only the magical energy that leached out of Quirrell's core and that was not enough to a man who was used to the feeling of power coursing through him.

Lord Voldemort looked at the black diary in his hand dispassionately; however in reality he was very much relieved that it was undamaged and whole. He could not determine its status till now as he needed the first part of the ritual that would give him his body back, to activate the contents of the vessel. Now that the initial part was over he was glad; the diary contained a part of his magical essence and he did not know it but a part of his 'Life Force' too. He wished that he was able to split his soul, but the soul always needed an active body to survive and putting it in inanimate objects or other animals was not possible as the soul that already existed in that body would not allow it. The soul needed an active 'Life Force' to survive and there was no way it would survive a split.

The ritual Lord Voldemort was about to perform would give him a fresh body and also construct a new magical core for him from the part of magical essence in the diary. The 'Life Force' would only be restored to a point that was determined by the age of the person when he split it and give him back the remaining years. Lord Voldemort created the diary when he was about sixty years old after the prophecy which forced him to kill the Potters was heard as a failsafe. That meant that he would be a sixty year old when he regained his body and live out the remaining years.

The inadvertent addition of the 'Elixir of Life' from the Philosopher's Stone was a fortuitous move as it would give him back the entire 'Life Force' he was born with. Lord Voldemort did not know this; he only hoped that the elixir would cure any deformities that could be introduced in the ritual and give him an intact body.

The elixir was used by the Flamels to reverse the Life Force they lost; it was a good enough imitation of the life force restoring 'Nectar of Life' or '_Amrutham_' but it was not perfect. Unlike with the original, the drinker of the elixir had to pay a price. There was always a price for the restoration of lost 'Life Force' and it was paid during the process of child birth but if you do not, then the price it extracts is the loss of sanity. No one said that Lord Voldemort was sane but in a couple of centuries, Lord Voldemort would have lost all cognitive ability. That was the only reason that Nicolas and Pernelle Flamel gave up the Philosopher's Stone to Albus Dumbledore; it was time for them to depart from this existence before they lost even that bit of sanity which led them to take that monumental decision.

Lord Voldemort's musings were cut short by Severus, "It's time, My Lord."

The dark lord using the body of Quirrell began chanting and the runes drawn around a cauldron large enough to hold a fully grown man, began to glow in a light that was similar in colour to the killing curse. After a few minutes, he nodded his head at the potions master who added his own chant to the process.

"Bone of the father, unknowingly given…" Snape intoned and Lucius Malfoy picked up a thigh bone and added it to the boiling potion inside the cauldron. They could not use magic to levitate or stir the contents of the cauldron and it was left to patriarch of the Malfoy family to do the grunt work.

"Flesh of the servant, willingly given…" Malfoy dropped a piece of flesh and muscle that he had previously cut from his leg and was placed under a preservation charm, into the mixture. Healing potions from Snape took care of the injury and he was as good as new. The potion bubbled furiously at this point nearly spilling the scalding contents onto the harried man.

"Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken…" The blood was from a freshly murdered muggleborn Ministry employee. Lord Voldemort would have preferred the blood of his nemesis, Harry Potter but his untimely death prevented that, a pity. Their crusade was against all muggles and muggleborn so it qualified them as enemy and so the magic was satisfied. The potion now turned blood red and settled down with barely a ripple on its surface, this was the end of the original ritual but Lord Voldemort had to push the limits.

"Elixir of Life, restore what was lost…" That was meant to cure any injuries or lost body parts but magic had a funny way of interpreting the chant.

When Lucius dropped the glistening stone into the cauldron, Lord Voldemort left the host body and flew into the cauldron. This was the part where everything could go wrong; as a wraith Lord Voldemort could not control the direction of his flight but the potions brewed by Snape gave him a near corporeal form for a few precious moments and that was all he needed.

The combination of the elixir, magic of the ritual, and incomplete 'Life Force' present in the diary worked wonders for Lord Voldemort. For once things went better than he expected; instead of the sixty year old body he was expecting, he looked barely a day older than twenty. The three members of his inner circle were struck dumb at the unexpected but certainly not unwelcome change.

The command of "Robe me Lucius!" jolted them to mobility and they hastened to do his bidding.

"That was unexpected" Lord Voldemort commented looking at his virile body. When he cast a glance into the cauldron, there was no sign of the Philosopher's Stone, "… a small loss of not much significance" he decided.

They retired to the parlour where Lady Malfoy offered refreshments. "Do I call for your other followers My Lord?" Lord Malfoy questioned.

"No Lucius. For now only the three of you should know about my rebirth. I have foolishly used Gryffindor bravado before, when Slytherin subterfuge was what was needed. I have plans to make and for now will remain incognito."

If they were disappointed by their master's decision, no one dared to show it. They desired to live after all. "Lucius, you go back to Hogwarts polyjuiced as the fool and make sure that none of the students could learn meaningful defense. In the meantime, I will take your place, sounding out allies, procuring the support in the Ministry, and hoarding things we would need. Maybe get to change a few laws that would help releasing dear Bellatrix and others of our brethren" Lord Voldemort mused.

Lucius Malfoy bowed his head, "As you command My Lord!"

The dark lord turned his attention to his spy at Hogwarts, "Severus, you would get disgusted with Quirrell's incessant stuttering and slowly distance yourself from him. This would also help maintain your cover when Quirrell is found killed at the end of the current school year. Use your skills and the trust the old fool has in you to glean the secrets of the castle defenses and the means to take the fabled wards down."

The potions master acquiesced to his master's wishes.

Lord Voldemort had a determined gleam in his eyes and due to the youthful appearance it hinted at the hidden power. In addition to being sound reasoning, the reason that Lord Voldemort wanted to delay moving forward was also the fact that he was not back to his best. He looked youthful but he was anything but; the life he had as a wrath did not leave him with any magical power and so he was weakened to the point of a squib. Now that he had a body he needed to build up his reserves, he had to be careful not to show any weakness even among those he trusted; after all he never knew when they might turn on him if it was to their advantage.

"It may take time but if ten years in that hell of an existence have taught me something it was that patience always pays" was his parting shot.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**End of May 1992, Malfoy Manor in North West England near Wales**

While the prophesied three were hard at work learning the tricks of their incredible abilities, things took a decided turn for the worse in their original timeline. Severus Snape was meeting Lord Voldemort again after nearly seven months as they tried to keep their contact to the minimum. Besides, the potions professor was really busy during the school year, not only teaching the 'dunderheads' as he called them but also brewing the essential potions for the school's hospital wing.

"The wards as you said are really very tricky My Lord" he began. "They are overlapping to minimize the chance of anyone sneaking in and I have been unable to find any weakness that we could exploit."

Lord Voldemort expected nothing less than perfection in the wards that have withstood nearly one thousand years of everything that either nature or man threw at it. Rumors also hinted that the castle was being sentient and so was able to adjust power to a specific ward when needed and thus eliminate even the slightest chance of ward collapse. He knew for sure that it was Rowena Ravenclaw who designed the wards; otherwise he would have mistaken them for his ancestor Slytherin's deviousness.

He mulled on the idea for a long time since his resurrection and hoped that it would not come to this; he hated the idea of destroying such an intricate scheme which probably could never be replicated. Now that all other options were exhausted, "You did well Severus. I had hoped that there was some way that we could exploit but it was not to be. Let Wormtail know that I am in need of his services."

Getting his dismissal, the potions master took his leave and returned to the castle. He knew that all hell would break loose tomorrow and he needed his rest; Lucius would be himself again and Quirrell would really open a can of worms.

**Hogwarts castle, next day**

The next day saw mayhem inside the castle that hosted the most famous school for teaching magic. The caretaker Mr. Filch found the body of the DADA professor near the forbidden corridor and so the headmaster accompanied by his trusted deputy and the potion master hastened to the scene of crime. His heart sank at the sight of not only a very dead Quirrell, it was a well-disguised golem after all, but Hagrid's pet Cerberus was also mauled beyond recognition. With a heavy heart he led the way through the trapdoor and his fears were confirmed; all the traps… Err… protections were dismantled and the Philosopher's Stone was long gone.

"Minerva, please ensure that all the students are confined to the common rooms until further notice and Severus please request the staff to meet in my office" Albus Dumbledore felt all his hundred and twenty years on his trek back to his office. He hoped that this day would not come, at least not while he was still alive; Lord Voldemort was back among the living.

"Are you certain headmaster?" asked a terrified Professor Vector when the staff assembled in the cramped office. She was a muggleborn specializing in Arithmancy and spell crafting, and was dreading the day when her very existence would be threatened by the dark lord.

The aged headmaster heaved a sigh, "Alas! All I have is conjecture but I have had reports from different sources that Lord Voldemort was indeed trying to get his hands on the 'Elixir of Life'. With the stone missing we have to assume that he was successful."

"Do you suspect Quirrell, Albus?" Snape had to keep up the deception for as long as he could.

It was the Charms professor Flitwick who answered in his stead, "The poor man stuttered so badly, he would be hard pressed to cast a spell in defense let alone get through the traps. I suppose he came across the intruder and perished." Everyone accepted that as the most logical explanation, they could not imagine the man even putting up a fight, not with his horrible stutter. It was a wonder that students learned anything from him.

"So what do we do now sir?" Professor Burbage asked the all-important question.

This was something that Dumbledore did not want; he dreaded the idea of his scheming coming to light and tarnishing his reputation. Yes, he could now admit to himself that he made a huge mistake but that did not mean he was prepared to give others any chance to pick faults in him. He could only really trust Minerva and Severus and so he hedged, "That my dear is not something that could be decided so easily. I have to talk to Minister Fudge and apprise him of the situation and only then can anything be done. Let's not worry about that right now."

But as they say things have a way to come around and bite you and the next comment from McGonagall did just that, "I confess I was very disappointed with Mr. Longbottom, I expected more of him." She knew that young Neville was not the real 'Boy-Who-Lived' but she thought that getting private instruction from the headmaster would have improved him and his best mate Ronald Weasley, but they were both to put it politely, dunces. She would be surprised if they do not end up rock bottom in the leader board, well except may be Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle, but that would probably only by a narrow margin. She would bet her salary that Dumbledore would interfere and push at least Mr. Longbottom near to the top.

Snape did not hide his disdain and for once he was spot on, "That boy is a menace to the society; arrogance, false bravado, near bully like attitude, and not to mention his abysmal performance in the class. If he is the hope of the world, I fear for our existence."

"Now, now Severus, you know what we are dealing with. Please temper your reactions" the headmaster tried to limit the damage that was already done to the image of the professed savior. The others readily caught onto the cryptic message and puzzled over the meaning but no explanation was forthcoming.

The meeting did not last long after that as there were no concrete decisions made. Dumbledore however, was still mulling over the entire debacle long into the night. He regretted his actions every night after learning about the death of Harry Potter; he wanted someone who was easily malleable into doing what was needed, even if it was going to his death to take out Lord Voldemort. He disregarded Minerva's warnings about the strained relationship between Lily Potter and her sister. 'I mean how one could treat her own flesh and blood that way?' that was something that he could never understand.

He tried his best to analyze and re-analyze his actions following the fateful Halloween night, but however many times he did that, he could honestly not find fault with his actions. With every one of his magical blood and even an honorary uncle dead, there were no other options available to ensure his safety than with his own flesh and blood, even if they were muggles.

He expected some rough treatment, may be even minor injuries but not outright murder. Now the entire British magical world would reap what he essentially sowed. It was almost as if it was his own hands that took the life of the true 'Boy-Who-Lived' or rather 'Boy who survived the worst nightmare only to drown in a bad dream'.

He desperately hoped that a replacement, a boy who grew up with a strict guardian would be the next best alternative. If trained properly, and under his guidance he hoped that Neville Longbottom could grow up to inspire the masses to rally behind him and bring an end to the tyranny that was Lord Voldemort and still allow the prophecy to be fulfilled. He could not deny that the young man was also marked by the horrible event, albeit by his followers and not Lord Voldemort himself that left him without a coherent parent, only a grandmother. Instead of a miracle he wished for, Albus Dumbledore got a pain in his bony behind.

'Merlin help us all' he thought, 'with the marked equal dead, the prophecy had already been fulfilled, and not on the way I would have hoped for. With no one to vanquish him, Tom Riddle could play the people to his whims and there's nothing that I or any other living being could do. Oh! How I wish I could go into the past and undo my greatest mistake.'


	17. Chapter 17

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 17**

**At about the same temporal space for January 1994, Scotland in the making, 1995 BC **

Life was good but extremely busy for the children of prophecy, training not for survival but to prevent the annihilation of the entire magical world was not going to be easy but they had the motivation to make a difference. Blessed with loving guardians and having found their life partners very early in their lives, Harry, Hermione, and Luna did not have any other distractions to slow the harsh pace set by their teachers and they excelled in whatever they were taught too.

Under the tutelage of an axe wielding Goblin war chief, Grimjaw and a master archer of the High Elves, Lord Legolas they spent half the day in physical combat. Hours of clashing blades, trading spells and high endurance training made them brilliant fighters and even though they were only thirteen years old, they fought like veterans. By themselves the girls were good, not only depending on their agility and moving in close to use their magic effectively, but they could also draw on Harry's enormous reserves too and tire out their opponents.

When they were in a battle with Harry however, their role was more on watching his back and long range attacks. Harry would usually wade in swinging his battle-axe and elemental magic while Hermione and Luna usually stayed on the fringes bringing down the enemy with their superior skills in archery and long range debilitating spells. Their strategy was simple but very effective and that was to use everything in their arsenal to overpower the enemy quickly; extending the fight by limiting themselves was not their way.

Almost from the very beginning Hermione would wreak havoc in the enemy's ranks by turning some of them against their own forces. That generally led to chaos which was easily exploited by Harry who would raise earthen cages or incapacitate them in a flash flood. Luna was usually in a supporting role with her bow or curses and quickly heal any injuries that her bond mates might have picked up during the fight, preventing undue loss of 'Life Force' and generally keeping them on top of their fitness.

Everyone learnt a lesson the hard way when a staged battle with the local civilian protection force nearly turned deadly when Hermione's intervention turned the members of the opposing force into coming near into killing each other. That was against people who knew about their abilities and so were confident that they could surprise those who did not know about that, even Lord Voldemort. Only one problem they could foresee was that Lord Voldemort was accomplished in the mind arts, nowhere near to Hermione's skill but penetrating his defenses in a battle with his followers throwing curses which cannot be blocked at you, would be a tough task.

Humans in whatever numbers were easy meat for the three, only those skilled to a degree in occlumency were able to resist Hermione's efforts but the valuable seconds lost in that resistance was enough for either Harry or Luna to overpower them. Only the six lords were able to last more than a minute and that too when they were prepared to face Hermione with their mental shields bolstered to the maximum. Such battles were almost always one sided even with only one of the three in the fray, even gentle Luna could turn the tide in a matter of a few seconds if she went for manipulating the 'Life Force' inside her opponents, something that the healer part of her did not allow.

Initially, the overwhelming numbers and brute strength of the Goblin warriors was frightening to the girls and that was when the strategy of staying away from the middle was developed. With their ability to apparate away if any of the Goblin warriors would reach them, Hermione and Luna could not be trapped. The Goblins could not apparate and so were fair game and with Harry almost always launching an all-out attack with his elemental abilities, it was always a brutal fight but never life threatening. What better way to train for a battle against an unrelenting foe than do battle with an unrelenting foe?

Even though Harry, Hermione, and Luna could potentially triumph in any battle situation, they could never take down Lord Legolas and his squad of Elvin warriors as they were immune to Hermione's powers. The only time that Luna used her ability to manipulate the 'Life Force' in a battle situation was when Harry was on the verge of magical exhaustion and still the seven Elves were unrelenting. Finally having no choice but to immobilize them, Luna latched onto their very essence, bringing them to a halt. Funnily enough that one act intimidated the High Elves who considered them nothing short of gods on earth. There was someone over and above them that could in a sense end their lives without batting an eye, and that brought the three life mates the respect that would help them reign over the High Elves as rulers of everything magical in the Isles.

The start of the New Year saw the 'High Council' being convened again, but this time there was cheer in the air and hope for a rejuvenated world was never as palpable. The setting was also to felicitate the three who came as fragile children, unsure of themselves but grew into formidable warriors right before their eyes.

"His Majesty King Harrius James Potter" the herald announced while Harry bowed before the current four rulers who were the first born sons of the erstwhile lords who were the first to be given magic. They were seated on a raised dais representing the place for the ruler. They were dressed in their finest and it was a testimony for the respect the four lords and the three future rulers commanded when even High Lord Asterius of the High Elves chose to be dressed as a commoner unlike the royal he was.

Harry tried to kneel before the four rulers but was dissuaded, "Your presence here shows that our time has passed your Majesty; if it's anyone who has to bow it's us."

"Her Highness Queen Hermione Jane Potter" as she came to stand on Harry's right and was followed by "Her Highness Queen Luna Celeste Potter" on his left.

When the three of them took center stage the ruler of the Goblins, Liege Lord Goraunk came forward, "Lord Potter, though we all know that the weight of the world rests on your shoulder, we have seen that there could be no equal to you and there's no one else I would rather see to bear it." He bowed low which the trio returned with equanimity.

Harry spied his master, Grimjaw carrying a covered tray which was much too large for him but with a wide grin on his face joining the Goblin king. Goraunk removed the cloth and lifted the battle-axe and presented it to Harry with a flourish. The axe was about three and half feet in length total, with two cutting edges rather than the usual one; it looked deadly as it was meant to be but was also a work of art. The Goblins were known to be master smiths and the axe really reflected that, "I present you with '_Cheelchi Chendadu_', (Cleave and Massacre) made to last you through any battle faithfully by your side."

The main blade was a little more than a foot in length and nearly the same at its widest, a mean looking edge to it while the other blade was half the size of the main blade. The point of the axe was jutting out to about half a foot over the blades with a tapered end designed for thrusting. The axe looked ungainly when Harry held it but he was adept at wielding it and when he would eventually grow to be a little taller than six feet, the axe would fit right for him.

Harry accepted the weapon and placing the blades flat on his chest, gave a nod of his head, a traditional greeting of warriors and replied, "The honour is mine Liege Lord."

When the Goblins retreated, High Lord Asterius stepped forward with Lord Legolas and addressed the Girls. Lord Asterius handed a bow that was five feet high to Hermione who would eventually grow to be about five feet and eight inches, "_Vegira Nyayam_ (Swift Justice) is yours, please use it to ensure that what it was named for, happens." The Elvin king turned to Luna, "This is '_Nisabda Mrityu_' (Silent Death), and I know you will use it wisely."

The weapons could be summoned to them without any distance being too far for them, though Harry preferred to carry his axe strapped to his back. The quivers were ever full and the arrows never needed sharpening; with backward pointing barbs, the arrows were designed to cause more harm when they were automatically summoned to the quivers about a minute after they were released.

Harry, Hermione, and Luna were thrilled with their gifts, but that also meant that they would now have to ensure that they do everything to keep the world safe, a task no less daunting than the harsh training they went through to achieve that end. It was indeed a very heavy burden but they were ready and in a way it was a very sad state of affairs when three teens were the only hope of the world.

With their studies in the major branches of magic like Transfiguration, Potions, and general charms coming to an end too, the six lords and six ladies who were acting as guardians to the three began to fret. The time to part would be upon them soon; Harry, Hermione, and Luna were now at a stage where they could fend for themselves; they were adults in their own right and even though they have no plans to sit for any kind of examination to prove their worth, they were as ready as they could be. Some of the more modern areas like Arithmancy and spell crafting, Warding and enchanting that used Runes were left untouched as only Rowena was the only one who had an inkling as to what they were. Those branches of magic were just taking root during the Founders time. The trio of a husband and wives would have to learn those subjects by themselves, if they ever want to. They were adamant about leaving them alone for the near future, not that they were averse to learning new things, but their first priority was to re-establish stability to a conflicted world.

The trio's worries were more mundane though, communication in Modern English after years of having only two others to talk to, weighed on their minds. More often than not, they were unsure if they were even speaking in English, as any communication exclusively among the three was unspoken. So when one can understand what was being said without a word being spoken, what was the language of communication? What about reading and writing? They did practice whenever they could but again they knew what the other was trying to put on paper so was that the correct form?

Their concerns notwithstanding, finally after nearly four and half years since they landed in the era of the first humans to be given the gift of magic, Harry, Hermione, and Luna were deemed ready to take the helm of magical Britain.

Now there was only thing that was stopping them from leaving, "Wedding!" squealed the six ladies.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort was happy, who wouldn't be when their best laid plans come to fruition. There was always dissent to sow and he had his sympathizers in key places inside the Ministry of Magic and even a clan of Goblins who did not like the peace that was in existence would join his ranks in a matter of months. A spate of random killings began throwing the authorities in a tizzy and the common factor in all of them were that the victims were either staunch supporters of Dumbledore or were defectors to the 'light' side.

There was an undercurrent of violence brewing and everyone knew something big was waiting to happen. The Minister and other heads of the departments feared for their lives and even though the events were attributed to a foreign force, no one was ready to acknowledge that the death eaters were active again or that Lord Voldemort was back. The common man feared to venture out of the safety of the well protected areas as there were no assurances forthcoming regarding their protection. The auror force had been stretched thin, reduced to mainly a defensive role, protecting a few prominent members and buildings.

Even Dumbledore's order of phoenix took a major hit, the rot started on the fateful Halloween night with the deaths of James, Lily, Sirius, Remus within one night and the loss of Frank and Alice Longbottom to insanity. People lost their motivation to fight as they suspected that it was someone in the order who betrayed them to Lord Voldemort. Suspicion was laid on Peter Pettigrew as he was never heard from again nor was there any evidence that he was incapacitated or killed; everywhere morale was at an all-time low.

Even the existing members were afraid to raise their voice against the increasing violence targeting muggleborns and half-bloods, a throwback to the state of affairs during Lord Voldemort's height of power. The only argument against the dark lord or his followers was that the guerilla tactics were so unlike his signature attacks that left everyone cowering in fear. Lord Voldemort thrived on fear and everyone acknowledged that he would not have waited long to show himself. No one saw him and if he was involved in a direct attack then the word never got out as those who saw him never drew breath again.

The minority who believed that Lord Voldemort was not vanquished completely agreed that if he was indeed actively seeking a return to power then he was waiting for something major to happen.

What no one except a very few of his inner circle knew was that Lord Voldemort was far from idle, with Lucius Malfoy at the Wizengamot, he was able to influence the pureblood faction and cajole them into offering clemency to the last heirs of pureblood houses who were languishing in Azkaban. Most of the pureblood houses had living heirs in children but a few like Barty Crouch Jr., the Lestrange brothers, Carrow twins and most importantly his dreaded enforcer Bellatrix Lestrange née Black were the few who did not have heirs and so were freed. This was a stunning blow to the 'light' side especially as they were blindsided and did not even have a hint of such a move. Rumors were flying everywhere and even without a sighting, Lord Voldemort was wreaking havoc on the magical population.

The most damage to the forces of the 'light' side however was done by Lord Voldemort himself, culling the auror ranks without getting a peep out of them, only Amelia Bones the head of the DMLE escaped unhurt but no one could claim that it was the dark lord's work as no one else survived and Madam Bones was forced to activate her portkey before the attackers could reach her.

Lord Voldemort, however did not make a move to take control of the Ministry directly as he wanted to bring the last bastion of power that was Hogwarts under his occupation first. The wards around the castle could ensure that those who would stand against him rally under its protection and the Ministry would function from under its roof, making any effort to take control over the Ministry futile. Even without Harry Potter, the one who made his life a living hell, the masses could rally around Dumbledore and threaten his existence. He needed a way to weaken the castle's defenses and strike at the heart of the stronghold of the forces of light.

While the people were praying for a miracle that would save them from the latest grip of fear, a miracle fondly called 'True Boy-Who-Lived', Lord Voldemort decided to send a message and what better way to announce his return than causing mass panic!

After the Yuletide season, the students returning to Hogwarts were a happy bunch; being reunited with their families however fleeting it might have been always brought the cheer to kids. This time though the Christmas was special as the savior delivered the miracle they were hoping for. A huge setback had been dealt to the oppressive forces and what better time than on the day of the lord.

Neville was sharing a compartment with his girlfriend, Ron's sister Ginny Weasley in his arms and in the company of his best friend Ron and his girlfriend, Lavender Brown a fellow Gryffindor. He was inundated with wishes as students thronged to see the one who was responsible for saving the life of a muggleborn student and her family who was under attack on Christmas Eve. Neville was a part of the team comprised of members of the 'Order of Phoenix' that thwarted the latest attack on the isolated house of a muggleborn student from Hufflepuff house. His role was to merely observe and experience a real attack, which he faithfully did under guard but in several retellings afterwards, it grew to a fanciful tale of him being the one to drive away one score dementors which enabled the others to mount a successful rescue. Even his best friend Ron did not know the true events as he was not a part of the mission, instead enjoying the holiday with his family.

If asked, Neville would be unable to answer why he took great joy in molding events to his advantage, but the adulations were like the drug he needed to sustain himself. He probably never envisioned a day that would see him face the one dreaded as the cruelest wizard that ever walked on the planet. While most of the blame could be laid at the one who pushed him into limelight, still it was he who was under scrutiny and so under the most immediate threat. Dumbledore was resigned to allow his gloating, as anything that would bolster the waning morale of the masses was all good in his opinion but was it really due to him? That was not to hold water at the very first test Neville had to face and all alone too.

The Hogwarts express which was on its merry way suddenly came to a halt in the middle of nowhere and panic reigned supreme when the students came face to face with Lord Voldemort and about a dozen low level death eaters. The pitiful numbers of aurors could not be spared to patrol the train and so the students were left on their own. When they were forced to assemble outside the train they feared a massacre and turned en masse to their savior for deliverance.

For all his bravado Neville knew that his life would be snuffed in an instant if he was even to raise his wand, not that he would have been able to do it any way as his limbs were uncooperative; he was nearly pissing in his robes in terror.

Students watched in stunned horror as the dark lord strolled nonchalantly to come face to face with the boy who was purported to have defeated him as a baby. Lord Voldemort gazed at the trembling Neville with something akin to pity; it was funny how some well-meaning individuals could lead to such an impotent wizard become a symbol of an edifice devoted to fight him.

"You are the pureblood heir to a noble house so I will let you live. I really do not like to spill innocent blood" Lord Voldemort proclaimed loud enough for the students to hear him. It was not strictly true, he would do anything to achieve his goal of total domination and that included spilling innocent blood, even if that was of purebloods, but the students did not need to know that and he really did not want an army to rise against him too.

Lord Voldemort then surveyed the audience watching in apprehension mixed with a little hope, but then he brought the house of cards that was the myth about the 'True Boy-Who-Lived' down in a crash, "You are nothing but mindless sheep following an equally demented leader, the one who was hailed as the savior all those years ago is actually dead."

He relished in the feeling of terror all around as gasps of horror interspersed with some whimpers rang all around. "Oh Yes! Harry Potter was the one who thwarted me and now he is no longer here to threaten me again, killed by muggles no less." That was common knowledge but the way Lord Voldemort used words to his advantage was masterful none-the-less. "Heed my words, all of you, join me and we will ensure that such acts never occur again. I will give you a few months' time to make your choice, but try to flee and my men will hunt you down."

With his ultimatum delivered Lord Voldemort cast killing curses at the driver, the conductor, and the lone guard to drive his point home and disappeared with his followers leaving total mayhem in his wake.

Later the Express made its way to Hogwarts under a full contingent of aurors and the professors of Hogwarts, in what was a futile gesture, as the horse already bolted out of the open barn. Inside the train, headmaster Dumbledore was talking to his deputy and the lone spy working for him, or at least that's what he believed.

"Did you have no contact from the dark lord Severus? I thought that you were one of the favoured few" a weary Dumbledore asked. Now that the cat was out of the bag regarding the true savior, it was time for some serious damage limitation. He never expected that Lord Voldemort would acknowledge the death of his nemesis in such a public setting; then again it made sense in a twisted sort of way, he was sending a warning that resistance was futile.

Though the potions master was gloating on the inside he maintained a stoic face, "Perhaps he was unsure about where my loyalties lie, after all these years of living under your eye, I might have lost his confidence."

That was what Dumbledore feared the most, not having a link to the innermost plans of the dark lord. This new line of thought from Lord Voldemort was unsettling, he was used to dealing with one who was belligerent and was more in favour of attacking you head on. This planning and plotting Voldemort was so different, "I know that nothing would change the mind of the man once he was fixed on something but try and win his favour my friend, even if we have to sacrifice one or two good people to do it." He was loath to the idea of losing some of the very few people who were his staunch supporters but he was desperate.

The deputy headmistress kept her peace even though she was appalled at the callous attitude of both men but she tore into her boss once the younger professor left the carriage, "Albus! I am horrified at your blatant disregard for the lives of good people. You are willing to sacrifice good people while doing nothing about those that every sane person knows is a heartless murderer. You let death eaters go scot free but willingly offer up innocents for slaughter, is this how you go about winning a war Albus?"

"There is no other alternative Minerva, Cornelius has been denying it for so long and now he is desperate for news, anything that he could give the people. He is more interested in doing what would look good for his image rather than doing what was right. Sometimes for the greater good we have to coax people into doing the right thing even though how horrific that might be."

… and that was where his fundamental flaw lied. A leader should always be ready to sacrifice himself if needed; he knew who the 'prophesied one' was and yet he put up Neville Longbottom on a pedestal only to be brought crashing down dealing a devastating blow to the morale of the general public in the process. He, the one who had power, both magical and political enough to bring about a swift end to the conflict was willing to take a back stage just because a prophecy said so. He would have benefited immensely if he was to hear what the last angel on earth said to the prophesied three, "The 'greater good' can only be meaningful when each and every person is allowed to live their life the way they want to, within the laws of the land of course, and not the way you want them to live."

A thoroughly depressed McGonagall left the carriage with only a silent prayer ringing in her mind, 'Oh Harry! If you are alive please give us some sign'.

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**Scotland in the making, 1995 BC **

Spring in the Scottish highlands was always a beautiful time; it was a time of awakening for some and a time of new beginnings for some. Even though winter began to recede, there was no news of Lady Hedwig's arrival which would signal an end to their sojourn and everyone was edgy. Anticipation was beginning to take its toll on the three who were used to being busy and even though they were still studying and continuing their training, their thoughts were almost always on the day they were to leave peace behind.

One fine day, Luna suddenly sat up while pouring over some scrolls and went rigid. Harry and Hermione were concerned; they could not detect any reason for the sudden change in Luna but were also soothed by the assurances coming from their partner. Finally after what felt like an eternity of nervous tension, Luna looked at her bond mates and threw herself into their arms, "I will have to leave you for a few days, my spiritual guide is calling me to her. I will be back to you as soon as I am allowed." With one last kiss to both her husband and sister wife's lips, Luna silently disappeared from their midst.

When she opened her eyes, Luna saw that she was in a clearing nearly a hundred meters in radius, in the midst of a great forest; well, clearing was misleading as there was one tree standing right in the middle. The trunk of the tree was so huge that it would probably take about ten grown men holding hands to encircle it fully and the canopy stretched far out and was interwoven with the canopy of nearby trees. Everywhere Luna could see there was dense growth making it nearly impossible for sunlight to reach the floor but it was neither dark nor gloomy. The air was filled with the humming of insects, the twittering of birds, and the call of animals; life was thriving here and why would it not, for the tree was '_Kalpa Taru_', the tree of life … of beginning.

The tree was full of colour, with blossoms nearly as numerous as leaves themselves. Even though the tree was flowering there were no fruits, legend says that this was the tree whose fruit Adam and Eve partook of causing the birth of sin and lust in the world; the tree never bore fruit again.

"Come my child, rest yourself on my knee" a voice like the sound of a crystal chime sounded, it was not loud at all, almost like the whisper of a breeze but still carried far out of the clearing. The voice was like a balm to the nervous tension in Luna; the trees in her backyard at home told her about such a tree but Luna hardly believed the tale let alone imagine she would be settling underneath the blessed foliage on an off shoot of the trunk shaped just like a mother's knee.

"There will come a time when the faith in god begins to wane and man begins to consider himself above all the others and cause untold harm to not only lesser beings but also life sustaining trees. Instead of praying to gods, they will turn to men who call themselves gods and who would rise to prominence due to their sweet tongue, preaching their own convoluted views on the secrets of life. Gods, sons and daughters of gods, angels, and even I would only be stuff of legends." Luna sighed deeply, she knew that those days have already come at least in the time when she came from, wizards and witches never looked to gods, since they felt that they have the power to change nature they were above all. She did not know this but the non-magical world was also not far from similar views, the advances in science and technology had prompted them to question not only the very origins of life but also sometimes ridicule the concept of an all-powerful being controlling your fate.

Luna interrupted the tree of life and told of the grim view that existed among the magical folk of the time she came from and what she heard from Hermione about the muggles.

"The desire to know of our existence is one thing but outright rejection on the basis of a lack of proof, would be something that would finally lead the way to utter destruction, leaving the planet nothing more than a desolate rock." '_Kalpa Taru_' continued, "Even though the humans chose not to believe in god's work, the work does not stop and with the angels gone, you my child along with your husband and sister wife will be the one who would walk among mortals and do my work."

Luna was shocked, never did she imagine such a responsibility and not to mention burden, but would that mean she would have to live forever. It did not take her any time to decide, not without Harry and Hermione, never. Her inner thoughts were easily discerned by the tree of life and sought to explain more, "When you will pass on, and pass on you and your bond mates will when the life written for you comes to its end, there will be another worthy among mortals who would be bestowed the same responsibility."

Luna was honoured she was apparently the first mortal to even be considered worthy, but something was nagging at the back of her mind, she was a healer by training and taking life? "Why me? I am still learning my way in the world, just an orphan who chose to be with my husband and help him achieve his own destiny; I am no one special without him."

'_Kalpa Taru_' had a distinct pride in her voice, "Ah! My child, your ability to discern when was the time to use your gift to heal and when to attack made you worthy of getting the sacred knowledge. You used your ability of manipulating the 'Life Force' only to stall your opponents in a fight and not to injure them and that too only when your mate was threatened, I know that you will use this knowledge for the benefit of every species on this land that god created."

Luna was still hesitant but she had the distinct feeling of pride in her abilities coming from Harry and Hermione, they were just an echo in the presence of the tree of life, but even that was enough to help her. 'The three of them were in this together' she reminded herself. Their duty was to ensure that all magical beings were treated fairly and if she had to end some lives to do it, then so be it. Her acceptance of her fate ensured that from this day forward the responsibility of using the sacred knowledge would continue in their strange but already love filled family unless deemed unworthy, just like the right to rule magical Britain.

"I will teach you the secrets of life; what makes life- life. With this knowledge you will be able to end a life even of those who are considered immortal or have perverted nature's laws for their own longevity. More importantly I will give you the power to restore the lost 'Life Force' in the worthy and bring them back to life within a few minutes of their untimely death." Hearing her words Luna brightened considerable, a new hope blossoming in her only to be crushed ruthlessly.

The tree projected her sympathy at the troubled girl, "I know your desire my child! You wish you could bring your parents and the parents of your mates back, but some things are inevitable and their death was one of that. If that event did not happen, you would not have met your bond mates and started on this wonderful journey and the path to your destiny."

Luna was barely holding herself together but found the courage to say, "It's alright! I understand."

"No you will never understand" she gently chided, "… you will always ask why this was meant to be. You would always hope for them to be in your life, you would be prepared to do anything to have them back, even if it was against the very laws of nature itself. Only when you accept the inevitable and come to terms with a loss, would you would truly cherish life. Remember the dead but celebrate the living. Love your bond mates, give rise to new life with your husband and respect life, only then will you remain sane."

After a very long and probably for the first time since she met Harry and Hermione, Luna truly broke down. It was made worse by the lack of her usual cuddle partners, their embrace always lessening her hurt. She began calming down when she felt a burst of concern, affection and love for her through the bond she shared with Harry and Hermione, and finally comprehension dawned. It was not the memory of her loving parents that always lifted her spirits before but the unconditional love that her husband had for her, that she depended upon. The support and love of his other wife who was more like a sister than a friend and heaven forbid a rival, was the other big part; there were no first or second between them, they were an equal part in his life and love. Her tears dried up when she realized that she would never be deprived of that love, she was grateful that she would never be far from it. Love for her would always warm her heart through the bond she shared with her husband, Harry Potter and sister wife, Hermione Potter.

Luna looked determined now, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves she proclaimed, "I am ready!"

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A week later, Luna was bestowed a part of '_Kalpa Taru_' which she would henceforth always carry with her. She was given a crown woven from tender boughs, vines, and leaves of the tree of life, the intricate designs woven into the head gear were never to be replicated by hands either human or otherwise. The crown, Luna fondly named it '_Apuroopa Dalam_' (Incomparable Bough) and worn with great pride by her, was meant to not only remind her of her association with '_Kalpa Taru_' but also would respond to her wishes and help her out like any other familiar would.

Luna also carried with her an everlasting blossom from the same tree as a gift for her sister wife and an unblemished branch nearly seven feet long, for Harry. "He will know what to do with it when the time comes" was the only answer she got.

Spying a harried looking Luna enter into the parlour, Harry made a beeline for her and simply lifted the tired girl into his arms and began walking towards their bedroom with Hermione hot on his heels. Harry and Hermione could not completely follow what was being imparted to Luna, catching only glimpses of the exchange and that too only when Luna was emotionally high strung and to their consternation it was quite often. Now that they were reunited, it was time for sharing the burden that Luna was carrying alone, after all they were meant to be one even though they were three bodies.

Luna would share the secret with them later and when she was ready to, but tonight was only meant for a hot bath and sleep with Luna in the middle and her partners providing a warm blanket.


	18. Chapter 18

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 18**

The time that Harry, Hermione, and Luna were currently living in was one of peace and of abundance. People worked hard and were suitably rewarded for their efforts and even though only a few magical races were in constant contact with the humans like the Fairies and Low Elves, there was no fear of oppression by the powerful beings. Instead the non-magical folk felt protected by their mere presence, faith in their rulers, which to their immense relief were humans just like them, helped them overcome their natural fear of the unknown.

The magical races that did not want any contact with the humans like the High Elves, Goblins, Dwarves, and others were left alone and their own beliefs respected. There was admiration and a hint of jealousy directed at their magical powers and life span but it was accepted as a part of the natural differences among different species. No one really wanted to mess with god's creations and chose simply to be satisfied with what was given to them, which was almost always plentiful.

Even though an average man could spend his lifetime in peace when such bountiful daily needs are available without much effort, there would always be someone who aspired for more. Whatever might be the desire, such an unquenchable thirst always lead to resentment and strife, and the age when magic was new among humans was no different. Not happy with the power to rule being limited to four families only, one wizard grew to hate the 'First Four' families; he wanted something better than what they had, he wanted people to remember him forever and whether it was in hate or in awe, he wanted to savour it for a very long time.

The High Elves were known to have extremely long lives and as rumors usually do, it grew to be talked about that they were immortal. That was the coveted prize and though the High Elves were sure to make short work of any attacking force, the tyrannical wizard was sure that he had one thing on his side that would turn the tide to his advantage. With a force comprised of non-magical humans who joined him from across the ocean to the north east and the continent south of the Isles, lured with a promise of power to do magic as it was still not that common among humans, he marched to the Elvin lands.

"Well, our help was neither sought nor expected; but we do have a duty as the 'First Four' families to aid anyone in a struggle" Julian Schlakett said in response to Rowena's inquiry.

Fitzwilliam was more practical, "If we ever need their help, we would have the upper hand as we volunteered to aid them in battle."

With that a small contingent of civilian protection force with the current Lord Griffter in lead, they marched to help out the High Elves. Harry, Hermione, Luna and the six lords along with Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena, as observers and medics were also a part of the defenders.

Reaching the Elvin lands they were met not only by High Lord Asterius but also Liege Lord Goraunk of the Goblins. Centaurs, Dwarves, Low Elves, and Fairies were also represented, and the defending force was nearly five hundred strong. The invaders out-numbered them by ten to one but still the heads of the other magical races did not want the humans to intervene in what was seen as an attempt to subvert a magical race.

"Besides, it would not do to have the future rulers incapacitated now" one of the Elvin commander nearly sneered at Harry and his wives. Harry did not need the restraining hands of his wives to keep his cool; he knew to save his energy for when it was needed. He along with Hermione and Luna began their assault from the parapet that marked the boundary of the land that belonged to the Elves, assisting the archers stationed there. The aggressors were put to the sword but they were relentless, and even though it seemed as if the attackers were being butchered, there was no respite for the defenders.

Suddenly, cries of terror interspersed with panicked shouts of "Soul Suckers!" rent the air. The sky looked dark as if the sun was blocked out by a black cloud but it was in fact a horde of cloak clad creatures gliding towards the defenders. These 'soul suckers' or dementors as they were known in the modern era were the secret weapon against the elves, sucking out a soul was a sure fire way of killing even those considered immortal and they were very effective.

With the courage of the High Elves fleeing to the hills, their bodies soon followed. The High Elves deluded themselves that due to their extremely long lives compared to all the other beings they were the representative of gods on earth and the thought of death in the form of a lost soul terrified them. Yes, three thousand years was a long life but they still had to meet their maker one day.

The resistance immediately crumbled and Lord Legolas and his squad of warriors were the only ones who braved the onslaught. Being out in the open however, they were quickly overpowered by the attackers. The defending humans, Goblins, Low Elves, and Centaurs could only look in frozen horror as the once feared warrior was left defenseless against the newest threat.

They were quickly jolted back into awareness when exclamations of "_Expecto Patronum_" rang out followed by four silvery animals that shot out of the wands of the four founders of Hogwarts. Even though they brought some respite to the defenders and allowed then to renew their defense, the soul suckers were too numerous and agile for the four guardian animals to herd and the remaining army of assorted magicals began feeling the effects of the soul suckers.

The sight of his beloved teacher brought down so brutally angered Harry to an intensity that he never felt before. Even through his rage he retained his wits, "_**Dears! The soul suckers are wearing cloaks, right?**_" he questioned them mentally. The girls busy in the process of taking down the attackers that were on foot with their well-aimed arrows replied in the affirmative.

With a shout of "Fall Back!" in English which was indecipherable to all but the defenders and a mental "_**Brace yourselves**_**!**" to his wives Harry took a deep breath to center himself.

The girls felt a slight tug on their magic which would have alarmed them if not for Harry's warning and sensed a modest drain on their respective magical cores. Everyone paused to see the grand spectacle of two huge tongues of crimson fire streaming out of Harry's outstretched hands. The flames were so hot that those who were a little late in their retreat had the hair on their head singed even if it was not in contact with the fire. The flames were directed at the open area where most of the attackers and the soul suckers were congregated moments after felling Lord Legolas and his loyal squad. Harry guided the fire to encircle them cutting off any chance of escape, and those who were lucky enough to escape, soul suckers and humans alike, found themselves caught by flames lancing out of the circle and putting their clothes, hair, and any exposed flesh on fire.

The flames left devastation in their wake; all the soul suckers and most of the attacking force destroyed in mere moments, Harry's intent keeping the fallen Elvin warriors untouched. Harry teetered on the brink of exhaustion after his powerful display of magic and elemental abilities and would have fallen off the ramparts if not for Hermione and Luna supporting him. The massive use of power, that too without any magical focus that could be used to boost his output, left him tired and depleted but a short rest wherein he gleaned a boost to his magic from each of his wives and a kiss from them rejuvenated him.

The heat of the battle slowly died and the survivours heaved a sigh of relief as it was a very narrow escape for them with only a very few losses. The injured being treated and fallen members of their defense collected, Harry, Hermione, and Luna led the way to honor their dead teacher way before the flown High Elves began to come back.

Before any one of the Elvin commanders could collect the fallen Lord Legolas' weapons, Harry claimed them for himself. He felt that none of the Elves deserved to wield the weapon that was almost an extension of the warrior who grew to be a dear friend to the three of them. Even Hermione and Luna, the gentle souls they were, were livid at the blatant display of cowardice by a vain race. Harry had been using a spare bow that was lying about as he was not as proficient at it as to use the skill in battle, but now he would take the '_Jhanjha Maarutam_' (Piercing Gust) to battle next time. He felt that this was the only way to honour the one, who along with his Goblin teacher drilled into him all that was required and all that led him to be what he was on this day, a warrior.

No one dared to even think about denying him the privilege; he was by far the most powerful warrior on the battlefield that day, whether it was a Goblin, High Elf, or Human. The way that he took command of the situation brought forth his leadership skills but more importantly the way that he analyzed the situation and had a response to it was that of a seasoned warrior. Even High Lord Asterius felt that Harry was well and truly ready to take up the mantle of the ruler of the wizarding world in the Isles.

The wizard who instigated the brutal conflict was nowhere to be seen. They would learn later that he removed his family to the continent and still plotted for his family to rule all magical Britain one day. The devastation he brought forth in the form of the soul suckers would continue to fester, only for their final members to be destroyed in another great conflict between good and bad, far away in the future. The soul suckers were a perverted form of '_Kinkarulu_', the ones who were entrusted with the job of ferrying condemned souls to the depths of hell. Some of them were lured from the underworld with promise of plentiful souls into the surface world and having lost the ability to discern the condemned souls among all those living, they were now the transformed 'soul suckers' and began to wreak havoc even on innocents.

The battle however had far reaching consequences, as the High Elves took it as a sign for their retreat to the hidden lands leaving all conflict behind and to save their race from annihilation. They would only elect to return when the time was favourable for them. They would however wait for a joyous event to take place before the start of their self-imposed exile, the binding of three different people into one family; the wedding of Harry and his two girls.

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Peace quickly returned to the land and with the malcontent either retreated where they came from or forcibly removed, the four lords tried to placate the people under their rule and explain the reasons for the strife. They wanted to ensure that such incidents never happen again and encouraged people to speak out their grievances rather than let them smolder underneath, they couldn't very well punish the entire population due to one bad individual. Their efforts were well rewarded initially but when a few families with enough money decided to encourage any effort to take down the current rulers, peace would not last long and the reign of the 'First Four' families would come to a premature end in a couple of centuries time.

The impending nuptials of the future ruler also added to the general cheer and an air of excitement was palpable. "Come on!" Salazar grumbled, "They are barely fourteen and you are insistent on a wedding!"

Helga Frairwood chided him gently, "They are already married in the eyes of magic, and this is merely a way to legalize their union, in case anyone questioned it. They only need to convince the Goblins of their time and the rest would follow. What better way for that than having their union blessed by all magical races?"

"Besides, we are all they have, their family. Who would look after them; take care of these small but important matters when they go back?" Elizabeth reminded him in a somber tone and that put an end to all arguments. The girls were cornered to discuss about their rise to womanhood, and of not getting pregnant before they were at least twenty years old and the precautions they would have to take for that. The men were driven away to enjoy a glass of mead and so Harry was left alone and he decided to take a walk by the river bank in the glade nearby.

He was not really paying attention to the surroundings, deep in thought about the events that were sure to occur once they leave this place and so he was startled when he heard a song, alluring to the lesser mind coming from a beautiful wood nymph. The nymph was probably returning from the river and seeing a well-built human with the bearing of a warrior tried to seduce Harry with her song and her charms, but Harry was unmoved.

"Why are you not affected?" she asked truly perplexed.

"I am already bonded" Harry replied in a voice of regret. Regret not at being bonded but for the fate of the nymph, for it was not only a serious breach of etiquette against a royal family but interfering with a bonded was against the very laws of nature.

The wood nymph gasped in horror but was resigned to her fate. She got down on her knees before Harry and with her head bowed low as if awaiting a beheading spoke, "I am named Apsara and I am guilty of breaching the natural balance between a man and a woman obtained by way of marriage and bonding; I await your command."

Even though he loathed it, as one who was tasked with upholding the law, Harry could not refuse to punish the transgressor however inadvertent it might have been, but then inspiration struck, "I am Harrius James Potter, future king of the land and I acknowledge your plea. I command you to face the royal court in two days' time."

On the appointed day, the royal court assembled with the leaders of all the magical races in attendance. The current king usually had the jurisdiction and on the advice of his appointed jury would dole out a suitable punishment. Since the transgression was against the future king and on his pleading, Harry was allowed to give out his judgment before the assembly.

Apsara was dreading her punishment and being before the entire 'High Council' was not helping her. Harry did not stall long, "It was a genuine mistake" he assured her. "No one was forced to act against their natural instincts and you caught me on the rare day that I ventured out without my wives" here he gestured at Hermione and Luna who gave Apsara fleeting smiles of reassurance.

"… but the law says you are to be punished and here's my decision." The fact that Harry was the future ruler reflected on his posture at that moment, "For transgressions against me and my bonded, I sentence you to solitary confinement for a week." Though for most others it was a very lenient punishment, Wood Nymphs liked to roam free among the woods and so was harsher for Apsara but at least it was not her life that was forfeit and so she accepted it with relief. To everyone's surprise, except his two wives of course, Harry granted her a boon. He asked for the limb gifted to him by '_Kalpa Taru_' to be brought forward.

Apsara nearly fell down in her haste to kneel before what was equal to a god for their kind, a branch from the tree of life. Harry continued, "I order you to craft a magical focus for me with this amazing gift I was bestowed upon by the tree herself." It was a boon to Apsara because Wood Nymphs always worked in isolation when they were crafting magical wood and the punishment actually turned out to be for her benefit. She then understood that the Harry never wanted her punished, the future of the magical world was indeed safe in his hands and she joined the tumultuous applause with pleasure.

When the applause died down, Apsara addressed her benefactor, "I thank you; your majesty, you are very generous."

Harry disagreed, "I hope I am just."

"Just Harry, the ruler of the magical world" Hermione quipped much to her husband's embarrassment and general laughter from the assembly.

"Nevertheless, I add to my own punishment and give a part of my magic freely to your cause" Apsara proclaimed and with that she pulled a leaf from a part of her body which was not too intimate and added it to the tray carrying the limb to be used as the core of the magical staff.

High Lord Asterius led the assembly by pulling out a hair from his own head and placing it next to the leaf, Liege Lord Goraunk added a couple of claws, and so the pile grew. The chief of Centaurs adding a hair from his tail, scales from the Merchieftain, some blood from the Low Elves, wing from a Fairy who already lost his other wing and so was unable to fly, toe nails from the Dwarves, fangs from Pixies, and so forth. _Needa_ parted with a few strands of his furr while Clandi gave a part of her own shed skin to complete the collection.

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It took Apsara ten days of solitary confinement to craft the staff from the branch offered by '_Kalpa Taru_' and the willingly given body parts of all the magical races.

It was a work of magic itself and so was beautifully crafted, "I do not give a shape to the staff, My King; it's given a form by the magic in you. I only help in channeling the magic and add in the different components at the appropriate time during the crafting" Apsara explained.

The staff was about six and a half feet in length and the top end of the staff fanned out like the outstretched hood of a cobra but instead of one head there were four, arranged roughly in a circle. Each head depicted a figurine that was a part of the house crest of the 'First Four' families; Unicorn for House Frairwood with a sapphire in its open mouth, Griffin for House Griffter with an emerald, Dragon for House Rowenger with a ruby, and House Schlakett was represented by a Sphinx and a diamond.

The cavern created by the four heads was the outlet for the spells and as the staff contained parts from those magical beings who were adept at using ambient magic, the staff gleaned magic not from the wielder but for the environment and mold it to the users will. This would drastically reduce the expenditure on Harry's magical core like the time it happened when he used his fire element abilities to destroy the soul suckers. If needed, the same spell could be split into four parts albeit at a reduced power, from each of the head and directed at four targets instead of the usual one, the individual precious stones forming an outlet in such a case. It was an amazing gift not only from both the tree of life and the magical races who donated the cores for the staff but also from Apsara who crafted it. Harry and his wives thanked her profusely even extending her an invitation for the impending wedding, with Hermione and Luna even embracing the stunned but jubilant nymph.

After that Lord Asterius came forward with his own gifts but these were meant for the four Hogwarts founders and to be used for the defense of the magical population in their own time and then passed down in their family.

He approached Godric first, "Godric Gryffindor the brave" and presented him a magnificent sword made of pure silver and imbued with magic to make it indestructible and could be called to any place and by any member of the 'First Four' families when in need. He then turned to Helga, "Compassionate Helga of Hufflepuff house, this cup would increase the potency of any potion that was delivered to the needy but be aware that it would only help with healing potions, poisons would destroy the cup."

"Rowena Ravenclaw, brilliant and as intelligent as the raven" and she was given a tiara which would act as a hoard for the wearer's knowledge and pass it to the next wearer when asked for in times of need. "Last but certainly not the least, Sly Salazar Slytheirn who would prefer to engage the enemy by cunning rather than bravado" and he was given a locket, "This was designed to protect the wearer and anyone touching him from any and all kinds of evil spells, rituals, and even potions. Use it well, and to protect your family, friends and their families."

The gifts were priceless and beautiful at the same time too, crafted by the goblins from the precious metals mined by the dwarves and enchanted by the High Elves, they were the best at what they were designed to do. The humans present were overwhelmed by the gesture of faith and respect to not only the 'First Four' families but also to their descendants. Harry, Hermione, and Luna realized the importance of the gifts and the advantage they could provide if they were to triumph over evil and so they gave their pledge, "We will ensure that they are used for the benefit of the magical world" freely along with the founders of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The wedding started out as a simple blessing ceremony with family and the representatives of the magical races only in attendance; but when the general population learnt that it was the wedding of the future king and the one who was directly responsible for the destruction of the soul suckers, it was turned into a '_padahaaru rojula panduga_', a sixteen day celebration of fertility and vitality. This was also the occasion when all the members of the 'First Four' families would meet Harry, Hermione, and Luna for the last time.

Harry was dressed in a toga that was the exact shade of his green eyes while Hermione and Luna were decked in white. Harry, leaving his faithful axe behind, wore Gryffindor's sword in a scabbard around his hip and Slytherin's locket around his neck.

Hermione was escorted to the raised platform by Raven Rowenger while she wore Ravenclaw's diadem on her head and held a bouquet of flowers. The bunch was crafted around the everlasting blossom from '_Kalpa Taru_' and contained a mix of white lilies, a tribute to Harry's mother, Violet orchids her mother's favourite and Yellow tulips which were favoured by Luna's mother.

Luna was escorted by Atracus Frairwood, wearing her crown of living foliage from the tree of life while she held Hufflepuff's cup in her hands. The cup contained water that was sanctified by the priest invited to bless the wedding and would be sprinkled all around the house and particularly in the room that the newly wedded trio would be spending the first night of their married life in. This was done to ward off any 'evil eye' by the mothers of the brides, Miriam Rowenger and Helga Frairwood in this case, as soon as the marriage ceremony was completed.

Harry, Hermione, and Luna were blessed by all present in the ancient rites of magical bonding, Elvin tongue, Goblin tongue and various assorted languages of the magical races by the heads of those races. All in all it was more about blessing the trio and wishing them all the happiness in their lives rather than any true celebration filled with gaiety, as everyone present knew about the destiny that awaited the newly married trio.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

July finally came to an end and emotions were running high. The four hostesses, Helga Frairwood, Miriam, Elizabeth and Fiona fussed over their grandchildren like mothers all over the world would. Even though the recipients of those affections were considered to be adults, and in the case of Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena were grandmothers themselves, they basked in the love showered upon them. They would be returning to a world riddled with strife and for the newly wedded trio maybe even into a war torn nation.

Just like Harry and his wives all the four of them, Godric, Helga, Rowena, and Salazar lost their parents very early in their lives and it would be the last time they could enjoy the feel of a mother's love before going back to manage the construction of their prestigious school for magic. Peace and quiet would be very hard to come by for some years at the least for both the groups departing to their own timelines, and as for Harry and his wives, they would be a family all by themselves for the foreseeable future, something which no one was looking forward to.

Finally, the day the prophesied three turned fourteen was upon them and even though the occasion was joyous, the celebrations were muted. The day marked a day of separation of what was a uniquely extended family for the past five years.

Lady Hedwig ferried the four Hogwarts founders back to their proper timeline first and upon her return Hermione asked her, "Would grandpa Salazar be able to bring about a change in the attitudes of his followers."

"Alas! The seeds of dissent had already been sown especially in the mind of his daughter's son whose descendant would be the Lord Voldemort of your time. Salazar would preach whatever he learnt here to his closest followers but would be unable to deter his grandson who would feign a change of heart but only increase his resentment" Lady Hedwig sighed.

That was what everyone was resigned to as they knew that whatever they might do, events of the past would not and could not change what had already passed in the flow of time. If there indeed was a change in the attitude of Salazar's grandson then there would not have been the birth of the Dark Lord Voldemort or a need for the creation of the three who were destined to bring him down; the world would have been at peace and the trio would not have been brought to the past to be trained.

Lady Hedwig was not finished however; she had some tragic news to deliver, "The four of them wanted to make the castle sentient so that it would withstand the ravages of time as best as it could. To do that however, they would pour their very magical essence into the walls and would become a part of the magic of the castle. They would barely survive another six months."

Everyone was horrified at the news; Hermione and Luna struggled to keep their tears at bay and even Harry was hard pressed not to cry out. The lady had some consolation though, "You would hear them if you call for them inside the castle, but to _see_ their spirits, you must first awaken them through your blood."

With heavy hearts but a prayer on their lips requesting peace to the souls of their beloved grandparents, Harry, Hermione, and Luna flashed away, clutching Lady Hedwig's tail, at three in the afternoon exactly five years since they stepped in the past.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, the next day saw a hunched over man shuffle his way into a manor in Little Hangleton with as much dignity as he could muster, it was a very difficult feat for him as he was unkempt and with the features of a rat. The manor looked rundown to everyone else who was not keyed into the wards that protected the manor but was very well kept in reality. The rat like man dropped down to his knees before the sole occupant in the large parlour seated on a chair fashioned much like a throne, "It… is… done…, My Lord!" he managed to stammer through his fear.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Just a reminder- I have mentioned this before but some of you still speculate about horcruxes. In this story my argument is that a soul cannot survive without an active 'Life Force' and so putting a part of a soul in an inanimate object is not possible. The diary contains a part of his magical essence and inadvertently a part of Voldemort's 'Life Force' also gets '**_**stored**_**' and is dormant. So there are no horcruxes in this story and Harry's scar is just that a curse scar which had some of Lord Voldemort's magical essence and 'Life Force' attached to it and was any way removed by the fairies.**

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

* * *

><p><strong>Three to Triumph<strong>

**Chapter 19**

**July 31, 1994 at 3 PM; Gringotts bank in DIagon Alley, London**

Even though the students of Hogwarts School were home due to the holidays and the evening was pleasant, the Alley that was the center of commerce in the British wizarding world wore a deserted look. The few witches and wizards who ventured out probably to get their essential supplies did not twaddle around, instead scurried from shop to shop and then immediately travelled to the relative safety of their homes. With the lie of the 'True Boy-Who-Lived' unmasked, they lost their trust in Dumbledore but even then everyone knew that the aged wizard was the only one capable of standing against the looming darkness. The general population was gripped in a fear that would not be so easy to dispel; in their hearts they gave up hope and were almost ready to lay prostrate before Lord Voldemort. In their opinion that was the only way to survive and save their families, even if meant giving up their freedom.

On that particular afternoon those who braved the alley saw three figures strolling the short distance from a side alley onto the steps of Gringotts. The three visitors to the alley looked mere children but there was a grace and determination in their eyes that belied their age. What was remarkable to the gawkers however was the way the three held themselves; screaming royalty to anyone that dared think about it. None of those present could identify the new additions to the alley as most of their attention was on the weird way the three were dressed. "Dressed?" one of the bystanders muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, "They were wearing something like the drapes on my window." The '_Apuroopa Dalam_' on Luna's head and the everlasting blossom pinned to Hermione's toga also drew their share of whispers but it was the aura they were projecting that sent tongues waggling.

Lady Hedwig flashed Harry, Hermione, Luna and their familiars into a deserted side alley close to Gringotts and promising her aid in times of need, flashed away. Even though the Goblins were treaty bound and honour bound to serve the king and his queens, they were unsure of their reception; the political events might have skewed the loyalties of the Goblins. They had to be careful but at the same time decided not to take _Needa_ and Clandi with them; the presence of two dangerous animals that were capable of posing a distinct threat to the Goblins might not be well received. So with _Needa_ melting into the shadows and Clandi employing her subterfuge of blending with the background, Harry, Hermione, and Luna stepped into the alley and immediately caught the attention of the few shoppers there. The three children however, paid no attention to all that was going around them and with single minded purpose walked up the steps that took them into the domain of the Goblins and also hoarded the treasure of the entire British wizarding population.

The bank also had only a few patrons, but unlike the near state of inactivity that was witnessed in the alley, the Goblins were bustling around. Harry spotted a teller who was relatively free and led his wives to his station to wait and be acknowledged. The Goblin noticed the three humans waiting for him and decided to provoke them with his inattentiveness, but Harry and his wives were trained by the best in diplomacy and court etiquette and maintained the dignified silence that was a mark of their station.

The teller finally lost his patience and admitting defeat snapped at them, "What do you want human?"

Harry was courteous and bowed to the teller while at his sides Hermione and Luna curtsied briefly, "_Vandanalu! Dhana Vyapari. Memu mee adhyaksudini kalavali_" (Greetings Goblin Teller! We would like to meet your chief) Harry spoke in flawless Elvin Tongue.

The Goblin teller actually blushed, the emotion so foreign in such a fierce race that it would have surprised many an onlooker and there were a few witches and wizards who were staring open mouthed at the spectacle. "My regrets Sir, the language of the ancients has been lost even among my kind. I would like to take you to my Liege Lord Ragnok" the teller replied in English. Thankfully the three Potters found out that they did not lose their ability to understand Modern English. With that the Goblin teller gestured at the three humans to follow him and led them into the bank and knocked on a door and entered after a gruff call.

Even though they could not really understand the conversation from behind the closed doors, Harry and his wives could tell that Ragnok was not pleased to be disturbed and for three puny humans too. Words like "Ancient tongue…, regal bearing…, polite…" were discernible in the teller's reply and finally they were ushered in by the teller who scurried away as soon as the door was closed behind them.

The ferocious Goblin warrior behind the ornate desk barked at them as soon as they stepped into the office, "_Meerena peddala bhashalo matladinattu natinchana adhamulu_?" (Are you the wimps who made a pretense of speaking the ancient tongue?)

Harry lost all geniality and stood at his full height clearly reflecting the royal blood in him while his wives also backed him up with their stern gaze, "_Oyee tuccha adhayaksha, yenta dhairyam vunte maa mundu nee kuppi gentulu_" (How dare you mock us? you are just a lowly lord) Harry thundered.

Never in his life did Liege Lord Ragnok encounter such an aura of power and the words were like knives cutting into his pride. He scrambled to get off his high chair and hurried to stand in front of Harry, "I beg your pardon My Lord. Can you please state your identity?" he asked meekly turning to English.

Hermione spoke for him, "This is His Majesty King Harrius James Potter- Black or Lord Potter during informal occasions." They did not want to let the secret of Harry being the head of the house Black to be generally known but in this case it was necessary to stake their claim as the rulers of magical Britain. Now that Ragnok lost his airs he could see the resemblance of the Potter line in the young man before him and the distinct Emerald Green eyes boring into him. His eyes took on a life of their own and fell on the ring adoring his right index finger and as the ring cycled through the different crests, Luna rattled them off, "Frairwood, Griffter, Rowenger, Schlakett, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Black, Lovegood, and Potter." The ring finally settled with the seal of the house of Potter being displayed for everyone to see.

"_**We should design a crest for Granger House, Hermione Love**_" Harry sent to his wives.

Hermione agreed, "_**Maybe we could just recast the Rowenger crest as the Granger crest**_?" she wondered.

"_**No my Sister wife**_" Luna disagreed, "_**The modern day family crests were all a mix of the two ancient families that they were descended from, well except for Griffter which was actually split between Gryffindor and Potter. So we will have to design a new crest for Granger that would reflect both Rowenger and Ravenclaw crests**_."

While this was going on Ragnok's eyes widened in shock, he never imagined that he would see the crests of the 'First Four' families being active in his life time and now he went and offended the king, well, he had to swallow his pride and do the right thing. He immediately fell on one knee, "I am called Ragnok and I realize my transgression. My life is yours to do as you please."

Harry gave a mental roll of his eyes to his wives who managed to suppress their amusement and maintained decorum as was expected from the queens of magical Britain. Harry placed his hand on the bent head of the Goblin chief and replied, "I am Harrius James Potter, ruler of the land and I pardon your transgression. Please rise and face me as the allies we once were."

Ragnok actually breathed a sigh of relief; he guided the three to their chairs even holding their chairs for them. Harry however sat his wives before he was settled in by the Liege Lord and since he was the master in his own domain, Ragnok took his usual high chair behind the desk. Looking at the three seated rulers before him, Ragnok ventured, "I can guess that this would be Lady Lovegood- Potter, the daughter of Xeno and Celeste Lovegood" at Luna's acknowledgement he continued bowing at Hermione, "Pardon me but…" he trailed unable to continue at the danger of offending her.

Hermione gave him a smile, "My name is Hermione Jane Granger-Potter, and in this world I would be considered a muggleborn even though my heritage extends to the 'First Four' families. I am the Lady Rowenger and Ravenclaw by birth and the Lady Potter by marriage."

Ragnok turned pensive and began stroking his beard, "So the Rowenger curse was actually true and not a myth" he half stated. He shook his head as if he was trying to get rid of the cobwebs and sat up straight in front of his king, "Would you like us to make a formal announcement of your right to rule, Your Majesty?"

Harry exchanged a mental conversation with his wives and shook his head, "No Ragnok, for now we would like to lie low and remove the threat to our way of life that goes by the name of Lord Voldemort first. Only then the shake down and cleansing of the filth that encrusted the wizarding world would start. In the meantime please send out word to all the signatory races that the 'High Council' has been reconvened; though we may not meet until after Lord Voldemort is pushed back, they should be alerted to the situation so that the ancient alliance could be respected. They should also be ready to defend their right to equality when called to do so."

Ragnok bowed his head, "I will pull up the ancient treaty and add that to the declaration of your wishes. Could I expect you to affix the crests of the 'First Four' families to the letter?"

"That I would but how would that be carried out; I mean, we do not even have a place to live yet" Harry replied.

Ragnok looked like he was chastising himself, "My sincerest apologies Your Majesty. I will call up your assets right away." He pressed a button on his desk and barked out orders to get him all the ledgers that pertained to the eleven families that were either defunct or were sealed when the last surviving heirs failed to claim their right at age eleven.

The Goblin director looked contrite, "The house that your parents lived in was reduced to rubble in the explosion that killed them Lady Lovegood-Potter and nothing could be salvaged from that. The land however belongs to you" Luna merely acknowledged that, she was able to make her peace with the fact of their death and it did not bother her anymore.

When the ledgers were delivered and the full account tallied, Harry and his wives realized that they were stinking rich. They never bothered about money but now even if they and their children did not watch what they were spending they could live their lives in luxury for over five centuries. Apart from the Hogwarts castle, Harry also owned, from both the Potters and the Blacks, more than five manors around Britain and a couple more in France and a few others in America, Italy, the Caribbean, New Zealand, and an entire island in the Pacific.

"_**Wow! I've never even seen pictures of these countries**_" Harry told his wives which was echoed by Luna.

"_**I have been to France before but the others only on TV or in books**_" Hermione supplied.

"_**Well, we have a lifetime to visit all of them**_" Harry finished. They decided to use Potter Manor in Wales as their place of residence as that was refurbished before his parents' deaths and had wards that already made it the safest after Hogwarts and Gringotts. They would add a few more of the ancient wards that they knew and that would even beat the other two when it came to safety.

Ragnok made a notation on his desk to remind him of the fact and then turned to them, "I will send in my emissary to you with the declaration and the copy of the treaty that we have, for your consideration and then ratification."

Harry agreed, "I hope that there would be no question of the loyalty of your messenger?"

Ragnok grinned, "I will send my own son, Your Majesty."

"I apologize" Harry replied immediately acknowledging his mistake.

Ragnok looked pleased but answered anyway, "No apologies are necessary, Lord Potter."

Harry and his wives finished their dinner that was graciously provided by Ragnok and realized the lateness of the hour, "I guess we should visit the Potter vault for some money" Harry looked at Hermione who was on his right as usual.

"Yes, we could also see if there are any wedding rings and maybe an engagement ring for me and my sister wife" Hermione agreed.

Luna had to interject, "… and some appropriate clothing, at least until we can settle in and stock up on essentials." They followed a grinning Ragnok, who could only marvel at the perfectly trivial nature of their complaints even with the threat of a war looming on them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Beginning of August 1994, Malfoy Manor in North West England near Wales**

The Malfoy manor played host to the largest collection of like-minded psychopaths and murderers after more than thirteen long years; the last time was when Lord Voldemort made his contingency plans after he came to know about the birth of two children who matched the description of the 'one with the power to vanquish the dark lord …' That meeting, held almost exactly to the very hour, was the last time all the purebloods with supremacist ideals congregated under the banner of the Lord Voldemort hoping to eliminate all those who were unfit for wielding magic in their opinion.

Now after waiting for thirteen years, they were again raring to go; most of them were itching to begin their campaign against the impure races and filth that cluttered the magical world. With the threat of elimination hanging on the muggleborns and other liberal half-bloods, no one even dared to think of emigrating outside Britain. They did have one stronghold that would house all of them if needed though, and that was the thorn in the purebloods side, Hogwarts. Even the all-powerful dark lord was hesitant to launch an all-out attack on the ruling machinery as long as Hogwarts was under the control of Dumbledore and the 'light' side.

The summons to congregate at the Manor filled them with new hope for a major step in the right direction to finally achieve their goals; even without that hope, every one of those called to attend did so, they did not want to elicit the wrath of their master, who amazingly looked a lot younger than his sixty years. No one except Snape and the elder Malfoys knew what happened during the process that brought the dark lord to life but they did not dare to question it, it was enough that their lord was more powerful than the time he met his match before the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. Bolstered by Lord Voldemort's admission that it was the now dead Harry Potter that caused him to lose his body, the death eaters were now more than ready to dole out their own brand of justice on behalf of magic.

"Wormtail! Regale our audience of your adventure in the bowels of the school" Lord Voldemort commanded the cowering rat. Even in his human form, the rat animagus looked more like the animal he turned into; the shifty eyes and the prominent hunch to his form adding to his filthy appearance. Most of the impeccably dressed pureblood elite wanted nothing more than to be as far away from the grubby man as possible, some of them even subtly moving their chairs as far away from him as possible without alerting the dark lord.

The man addressed as Wormtail or Peter Pettigrew as he was named by his parents, nearly fell over in his haste to please his master. This was also his chance to shine; after the debacle of the Halloween night all those years ago that caused Lord Voldemort to lose his physical body, he went into hiding fearing repercussions from the loyal and more powerful followers of their lord. Other than the dark lord, only Snape knew that he was the secret keeper for the Potters and Pettigrew knew that if it became common knowledge he would be hunted mercilessly and then sent to the same place as his erstwhile friends he betrayed. Thankfully, Snape held his tongue; perhaps he knew that their master was not totally dead only thwarted for the moment?

Holding his head high, as much as his stooped posture permitted Pettigrew launched into his tale making it as heroic as he could. Stripped off all the exaggerations, the tale was nothing more than one of hard labour which was accomplished only due to the sheer terror he held for his master.

**Start Flashback**

Pettigrew grumbled at the injustice of his life; even during his years at Hogwarts, he was nothing more than a tag along to three of the most popular students seen at Hogwarts. James Potter was the obvious leader, a commanding presence that could not be ignored and even though he had his eyes only for Lily Evans, girls were putty if he smiled at them. Then there was Sirius Black, the charmer and one who could get into the knickers of any girl he wanted, contrary to popular belief Sirius was a gentleman and never took it to the next step. Last but never the least was Remus Lupin, the sane one and the brains of most of their schemes and a prefect to boot.

The simple minded and nervous young man Pettigrew simply attached himself to them, to not only pass his classes but also in an effort to bag a girl for himself, not that it worked though. Even after knowing that Remus Lupin was a werewolf, a few of the girls went on dates with him, truly understanding the gentle man he was, but no one even cast their eyes at him twice. Then, when he was asked to join their efforts to become animagi, he was ecstatic, at least now he could be some powerful animal, maybe even something magical and then he could get the recognition he so craved.

'A stinking rat' he could not stop the frustration, that he would have liked to come out as a growl, but as a rat all he could do was sniffle some more. Even after all these years, and the deaths of his more famous class mates, he never considered them friends truly only means to accomplish his goals, he could not reconcile with the fact that he was a lowly rat.

Now he was doing the only thing that his rat form was useful for, other than scampering away to safety in face of danger that is. He was digging through the thick wall that enclosed the central ward stone of the Hogwarts castle on one side. His master told him that magic would not work in the vicinity of the ward stone as the four founders put their very 'will' into it. The stones that formed the walls of the room that housed the ward stone were spelled to absorb and neutralize any magic that was cast by mortals. Only the ambient magic was allowed to function and that was to power the formidable wards of the school. Due to this, Pettigrew was ordered to dig through the two feet thick stone and make a passage into the room so that when the time was right, his master could neutralize the central ward stone and bring down the castle's defenses.

If there was something that Peter Pettigrew was proud of in himself, it was his ability to be very persuasive and sweet talk others into doing what he wanted. That was how he was able to join the witty, charming, and famous 'Marauders' with the other three and how he was able to get the then Lily Evans to help in his classes. He now relied on that ability to get the other rats and rodents that lived in the castle and the adjoining grounds into helping him dig the tunnel.

His plan worked for some time and he made good progress initially, but he was left alone soon as they did not have the persuasion that made him continue, a mortal fear for his life. His lord and master did promise him a slow and agonizingly painful death if he did not accomplish his task; he did get one leeway though, there was no time limit on when to complete the task, only that he had to do it soon. It took him a little more than two years of incessant hard work in the sweltering heat and dust below the dungeons, he could not even sustain a cooling charm as it failed as soon as he came anywhere near the room he was tunneling into, to finally reach his goal.

'Finally!' he crowed stretching to his full height that was allowed by his pronounced hunch, 'I have done what no one had managed before.' Before him was the central ward stone that controlled all the wards of the castle and it was a huge boulder, larger than any other ward stone he had seen, covered with runes. Pettigrew could not understand what they represented and he was not even interested in that, 'Pity!' he thought, 'he could not use magic to blast the ward stone away to pieces' his euphoria made him believe that he was capable of doing something that save Albus Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort, or the prophesied three could only hope to achieve. The forbidding magic in the air nearly made him scurry away in terror and all he wanted was to get away as soon as he could and announce to his master that he was successful in his task. That was certainly a crowning achievement for him and one that he hoped would let him life his life in comfort and maybe even a few women to enjoy. He managed to cover the opening of the tunnel with the rubble around him and cleaned the evidence of his work as much as he could in his rat form and scurried away.

**End Flashback**

Bellatrix Lestrange the most faithful of the dark lord's followers was instantly on her feet, her face twisted with a maniacal grin. "What are we waiting for? The moment has finally arrived; let's descend on the old fool and swarm the putrid filth, the opponents to our way of life, and snuff the light out of the 'light' side." The sentiments were echoed by most of those present but no one actually dared to speak up fearing offense to their master and they were not disappointed as Lord Voldemort admonished her, "Bella, do you presume to order my followers?"

The woman in question faltered at the stern gaze of her master and nearly groveled at his feet, "I am sorry My Lord. I never dreamed of usurping your authority, I am merely anxious to extract my revenge on those who made me suffer in that hell hole."

Lord Voldemort allowed a small nod of his head accepting the explanation; his own existence without a body made him bay for blood. His patience, though irritating at first, finally paid off and instead of having to attack multiple targets and fear loss of his followers, all he had now had was one target and he could take down the light side in one swoop. "I understand Bella, I am sure the lot of us is itching for that. I have planned meticulously for the chance and waited so long for asserting my dominance that I do not want anyone of you throwing it away in impatience."

He fixed his followers with an intimidating stare, "Just a few more days and I will eliminate all the opposition to our dominance once and for all. I will eliminate Dumbledore and his stooges in front of all the students that attend Hogwarts; I want to create as much pain and suffering as possible. No one would even dream of raising their voice against me."

His declaration was met with tumultuous cheer and even those who wanted to go on the offensive at that very moment were glad that they waited. They would use the time to prepare themselves for the assault and then eliminate all their enemies with minimal loss to their own side. It was not out of compassion for their fellow death eaters but a curse would not distinguish between people and they certainly did not want to be the one on the receiving end; they wanted to stay alive to reap the benefits of their dominance of the wizarding world.

After the cheers died down Lord Voldemort began issuing instructions, "McNair go to the werewolves and get them to be ready to attack on a moment's notice, also distribute the 'Wolfsbéné' (Beneficial to wolf) potion to them." The death eater gave a feral grin and bowed to his master, "Avery, you alert the Giants. Carrow, you and your sister contact the other dark races who have already sworn their allegiance to us and coordinate their attack with ours. Malfoy, you warn our allies about the attack, be sure to specify that their children have to attend the school next term but get out of harm's way once the attack starts. I am sure that Severus would take care of them inside the castle?"

The potions master bowed his head and the dark lord continued, "Severus, My Friend, as usual I count on you to keep the old fool off balance and let me know of any changes in the castle that could harm our mission." Quite a few of the death eaters were glowering at the preferential treatment that the Half-Blood from the Prince line was receiving at the dark lord's hand. They knew that their master depended on information from Snape for his plans, but preferring him over other well established pureblood families rankled them a lot, they could however do nothing to even voice their displeasure as they had a healthy desire to live.

"Your faith in me would never have reason to be misplaced Master" the potions professor answered, quietly simpering at the envious looks directed at him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This is RIDICULOUS!" Luna screamed out the last word, her frustration boiling over leaving the living room in Potter Manor ringing with her voice. They were slowly getting used to speak in English and out loud so that they could guard the true nature and extent of their bond with each other as long as possible; they would like it if that bit of news stayed within their family but knew that it would get out sooner or later and they desperately wanted it to be later, much later. It was the last week of August and all their discrete enquiries left them with a feeling of utter despair at the state of affairs in the wizarding world.

Harry and Hermione gathered the flustered blonde into their embrace which helped her calm a bit, "The Minister of Magic makes a public statement that he hopes that Lord Voldemort would spare his life if he gave up his position when asked. What kind of a head of state would make such a cowardly decision rather than putting up a fight against tyranny?"

Harry gently kissed his wife, while Hermione groused, "The kind that would save his skin regardless of the cost to the general public."

"There is simply no hope in the society; everyone has virtually given up without a fight. They put all their faith in a mystical 'Boy-Who-Lived' to come and save them" Harry fumed at the total apathy in the general public, it was almost as if they were just waiting for Lord Voldemort to make a move and hope that they would not be a part of the genocide.

"The 'Boy-Who-Lived' is not a myth Harry" Hermione teased her husband lightening the mood. They all agreed that there was no 'I' or 'You' among them, it was only 'us' and 'our family' when the time came around. Harry just shot her an annoyed look which Hermione totally ignored with a poke of her tongue at him.

Their antics brought a smile to Luna and so mission accomplished. "The Auror force is so understaffed and out of shape, mostly reduced to the role of a ceremonial guard; they are willing to fight but only due to the fact that they were magically bound to do it, as it was their sworn duty. No one has an illusion of surviving the war" Luna finished with a sigh. Luna told them a few things about the general mood that prevailed during the first time that Lord Voldemort was in power, it was what she could remember overhearing when their parents discussed about the horrors of that time. This time around however, it was as if the soul was sucked out of the combined population, all the three of them felt as if there was only one mood everywhere and that was of inevitability and resignation to their fate. The common witch and wizard only worried about survival and prayed that they would be spared; there was no talk of resistance or helping out the thinly stretched aurors.

Hermione visited the ICW meeting as a general observer and was shocked to find that the rest of the world was not willing to even lift a hand to help Britain out of its troubles. For them it was an internal matter of Britain and they put their faith in Albus Dumbledore, and he was adamant that Britain was safe from the dark lord. Even if the evidence was to the contrary, with numerous killings in the muggle world as a result of the death eaters, the only answer that the 'Supreme Mugwump' Dumbledore was prepared to give was, "There is no immediate threat of Lord Voldemort taking over control of the state of affairs, all the important and sensitive places are secured against attacks."

"What about the common witch and wizard? What about the merchants who have to open their businesses daily, what about their safety?" Hermione seethed barely holding her temper in.

Dumbledore tried to sense who this chit of a girl was, questioning his decisions, "You are still a little girl miss, you do not understand the vagaries of war." He tried to use 'legilimency' to identify her but was soundly rebuffed by her impenetrable shields.

His shock must have shown on his face for Hermione retorted fiercely, "Loses are accepted in a war but not those of innocent bystanders and when they were in their house merely waiting for lunch."

"It is regrettable but we are concerned in keeping the official work of the government running. Aurors are needed elsewhere mainly to protect the department heads and the Minister" Dumbledore answered unfazed.

Hermione looked in disbelief at the other members who were not even protesting the callous attitude of Dumbledore. In truth the headmaster had lost all hope himself; he was banking everything on the fortress that was Hogwarts, he believed that as long as Hogwarts was standing and not in the hands of Lord Voldemort, there were ways to protect the few who were in danger. The ultimatum issued by the dark lord against leaving the country was totally unprecedented and would ultimately cause heavy losses but as they say, 'out of sight and out of mind' Dumbledore was mainly concerned with keeping a few prominent members of the light side safe and hoping for a miracle.

"I hope that your soul finds its way through the gates of the afterlife, before it could be dragged mercilessly into the pits of hell, Dumbledore!" Hermione spat before storming out of the session.

"That man should be quartered" Hermione declared to her husband after reciting the events of that day.

Harry sighed before dragging both his wives to him, and they cuddled into his chest, "By providence or by divine intervention, we were given this duty. Our main purpose and goal should be to protect the life of the common man; others like Dumbledore or Fudge are expendable when it comes to the survival of the world. Dumbledore had been blinded by his power for so long that he fails to see his follies. He is an uncommonly intelligent man for sure but the power of three important positions corrupted him; strip him of them and I think that the man could be made to do penance for his follies."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**September 10, 1994 early afternoon, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland**

The staff of the Hogwarts School, a few ministry officials and most of the auror force watched impassively as Lord Voldemort amassed his followers, dangerous creatures, and like-minded magical beings, his allies in as much as they could be called allies, in front of the main entrance to the school. The Wards around the castle were designed to keep anyone with evil intentions against the school or its occupants out and so far they were successful. The Giants that came along for the destruction could not even make a dent in the defensive wards that flared whenever a blow or a curse landed on the invisible dome; and most of the defenders of the castle who put their faith in the headmaster breathed a sigh of relief that their faith in him was upheld.

Dumbledore watched the events unfolding with a smug smile; he himself checked the ancient wards and knew that they would hold fast and if he said they would, they would. He was the most powerful wizard alive and he was always right; he announced to the world that the castle would never succumb to the dark forces and therefore magical Britain would be free of oppression and here in front of the castle his words were proving true. Even though the defenders were around a mere hundred in number against more than five times their number in the opposition, the battle would be won without firing even a single curse, that was his confidence. Even the dark creatures which comprised the bulk of the invaders, with a handful of Giants and a few Trolls, could not penetrate the defenses while the hundred or so of the death eaters looked to their leader for guidance. In the middle of all the confusion and loud noises of the creatures, Giants and Trolls, Lord Voldemort himself looked assured, of what, Dumbledore had no clue.

The headmaster put his faith in the defenses of the castle holding the vast army of darkness away and so assured of this was he that he did not even ask for assistance from the many light sided magical creatures that resided within the castle grounds and depended on the castle wards for their own safety. He also forbade the 'True Boy-Who-Lived' Neville Longbottom from anywhere near the fight and to seek refuge in his own office; even though he was labeled a fraud for the world to see, in Dumbledore's opinion of the prophecy given by Trelawney, Neville was the only one alive that could bring Lord Voldemort down. Therefore his safety took precedence even if it was at the cost of others. In an effort to keep Snape's role as a spy for the light side safe, the portions master was also ordered to stay away from the fight and assist in the hospital wing even though it meant the loss of an able wand to defend the castle. All this played directly into the potion master's hands as he never wanted to raise a wand against his master's followers.

Unknown to the headmaster though, most of the students of the Slytherin house sequestered themselves in the quarters of their head of house and potions master, Severus Snape. They were joined by a few students from other houses and under orders from their families which were not really allied to the dark lord but had similar sentiments for pureblood supremacy or were with enough money that they could remain neutral in the fight.

Deep down inside the bowels of the castle, the rat animagus went to work and smiled in satisfaction as the rune covered surface of the central ward stone turned into lead. Since magic did not work inside the room, Lord Voldemort gave him a vial of an alchemic mixture that would turn the top few inches of the stone into lead which was non-conductive to magic. After a few minutes of adding the mixture to the stone, the wards that protected the castle for more than a millennium came crashing down with a resounding clang.

While that sound sent the invaders into tumultuous cheers, it sounded the death knell for the 'light' side. The smiles on their faces were wiped out and when Dumbledore began addressing the adults and students alike, tears and anguished cries began and nearly drowned out his words. "It seems that I have seriously underestimated the ingenuity of Lord Voldemort, I fear that our stay on this Earth has come to a premature end. I have failed you all; most of all I have failed the children of our great country. If any one of you wants to withdraw and be with your family, I would not begrudge you."

To the credit of all those present, none of them, even the students who were gripped in terror moved. Dumbledore believed in his infallibility and now that confidence bordering on arrogance alone would end all hope for peace and stability in Britain. With the power he enjoyed, both magical and political, Dumbledore never thought that there were others, some of them divine that were even more powerful and above him. Now in the face of certain annihilation, and for the first time in his life Albus Dumbledore made an honest plea to the ancient gods, he prayed for a miracle, for deliverance.

The four founders of Hogwarts, who put their very souls into their beloved castle, were aware of the coming threat and feared for the students that sought sanctuary within its walls. They also knew that there was only one hope and that was in the form of three young souls, their descendants and the ones who were bonded as one, '…**arisen of the three…'** and would, '**Bring forth the light smothered by the dark…**' No one in the castle or on the grounds was aware of the plea that emanated from the heart of Hogwarts castle in four long forgotten voices and that went out searching for its savior. The plea was one for survival, "I need your help my children, evil is upon us."

Far away in Wales, three children recognized the voices that made the plea and muttered "Gramps!" under their breath; rising from their activities, the three children, and yet they were children no more, prepared for battle.


	20. Chapter 20

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 20**

**September 10, 1994 early afternoon, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland**

With the fabled wards, that were designed to bar entry to all sorts of dark creatures and those will ill intent towards the inhabitants taken out, both the sides were now on the verge of a conflict that was overwhelmingly against the 'light' side. Even then Lord Voldemort did not order the attack to commence, was he giving a chance for those inside the castle to surrender perhaps? With Lord Voldemort's forces outnumbering them 1 to 5 it did seem like a merciful gesture by the dark lord, there certainly was no sense in spilling blood when there was an easy option out or so some of the defenders thought. But then they conveniently forgot that Lord Voldemort was not merciful.

The wait did seem to stretch long and only came to an end when everyone could see an ominous looking dark cloud over the forbidden forest that was slowly moving towards the open filed that was between the main entrance gate and the doors of the castle. All hope of surviving the day vanished when the cloud was near enough to discern its composition, "Dementors!" the cry rang out interspersed with cries of anguish by the less brave.

Those capable and retained their wits in the face of adversity shot the Patronus Charm and several silver animals darted towards the slowly advancing horde of the soul suckers. The patroni tried to corral the black shrouded creatures but it almost looked as if the presence of the happy thoughts that conjured the shields gave the dementors added impetus to go about their job of destroying the souls of the humans. In the end the casting of the silver guardians turned out to be a futile exercise as the nearly two hundred creatures, that comprised the entire population of the vile creatures left on the British Isles, quickly overwhelmed the magic of the twenty or so patroni that finally dissolved into wisps of mist.

Wands slowly slipped out of the hands of most of the defenders who were now awaiting their fate at the hands or rather mouths of the soul suckers. When it looked as if all hope for the right and the good perished they were jolted awake by an enormous crash of thunder that nearly deafened them due to its proximity.

Their attention turned to the edge of the forbidden forest where a young man, accompanied by two women who were barely into their teens, was waving his hand that held a staff like a baton of a conductor managing his orchestra. Another crash of thunder followed but this time it was preceded by a bolt of lightning that emanated from the cloudless sky. The watchers, both supporters and opponents of the 'light' side watched in awe as the lightning split into many branches like that of a tree's main root and nailed each and every one of the dementors at the spot where a heart might have been if the creatures had one. The result was instantaneous, the dementors exploded in a burst of light and all that was left was their tattered robes fluttering in the gentle breeze that flowed across the grounds of Hogwarts.

The decimation of the horde of dementors in one swift turn of events cheered the defenders to no end while enraging the dark lord. He, who held the main body of his forces back, immediately ordered them to attack but still held the death eaters, his most loyal supporters with him. The swifter of the forces, werewolves and a few members of Goblins who decided to side with Lord Voldemort quickly outstripped the others and barreled towards the castle. The advancing werewolves and Goblins began to split into two parts, the larger of them moving towards the three standing near the edge of the forest, and were clearly the bigger threat.

Harry never wanted to put the clearly outnumbered defensive force in danger, and if the attackers split into two, he could not be sure that innocent lives would be spared. He vowed that he would try to prevent innocent blood from spilling and so got into the act and waved his staff at the sky again and rain began pelting down in torrents from the sun drenched sky. The rain did nothing to deter the advancing army but that changed as soon as Luna wove her magic, drops of rain turned to lethal projectiles of silver that rendered the fast moving and deadly werewolves into a writhing and howling mass of bodies drowned in their own agony.

As soon as Harry was assured that Luna had the situation under control, he dropped on his haunches and with his staff still clutched in his right hand, pressed his left palm flat to the ground. With his face scrunched in concentration Harry directed his will at the earth and before the very eyes of the astonished audience, the ground below the advancing foes turned to soft sand hindering the progress of the Goblin force and trapping the werewolves who were very quickly stripped of their life. Harry heaved a sigh at the Goblin horde that was struggling to advance but still did not give up the fight. He drew his battleaxe, the feared '_Cheelchi Chendadu_' that was strapped onto his back and prepared to wade in swinging. He was surprised when another battalion of Goblin warriors appeared right before the struggling Goblins and clashed blades. The trapped Goblins hardly had any time to recognize the new threat from their fellow creatures and were quickly put to the sword. Most of the attacking Goblin force quickly lost their heads to the warriors of the Liege Lord Ragnok and the rest who had luck on their side quickly threw down their weapons in surrender.

Liege Lord Ragnok portkeyed beside Harry and spoke in a tone of submission, "My Lord, let my warriors take care of the trash that dared to defy my edict and sided with the Dark Lord." Ragnok looked ashamed at the thought that Goblins decided to help Lord Voldemort to overturn the peace and fight against everything that was right and usher in darkness. Harry gratefully accepted the timely help brought by the feared elite Goblin guard that were the personal troops of the Liege Lord.

Harry and Luna grinned at the Goblin Lord and Harry spoke for all of them, "Thank you Ragnok, your help is very much appreciated."

While this was going on Hermione was not idle, as soon as they saw the advancing force, she sat down on the ground and slammed her right hand that was bunched into a fist into the open palm of her left hand and held it there. That was her gesture that told Harry and Luna that she was accessing her abilities. Hermione quickly dove into the minds of the ten Giants lumbering towards the castle intent on destruction.

The Giants had very rudimentary intelligence and no mental defenses to speak of, but their minds were by no means feeble, especially with the promise of mass destruction they thrived on, ingrained into them by Lord Voldemort. Hermione did not need any extra help from Harry's magic as she wrestled control of the Giants. Lord Voldemort and his death eaters were startled when the Giants suddenly turned on them and instead of attacking the castle waded into the assembled followers with their clubs swinging. The death eaters who were until then stunned immobile by the quick turn of events had to not only evade their deadly clubs but were also forced to bring the Giants down, which was not easy due to their tough skin.

The death eaters who were foolish enough to put their lives at risk to protect their master were quickly mauled to death by the rampaging Giants who were not without their share of causalities. Three of the Giants were killed by the combined force of twenty killing curses each while the rest were battered and bruised in a fight with the fifty odd trolls who were redirected from their charge towards Harry and his wives to meet the threat posed by the Giants. The ensuing melee was only made much more chaotic by the defenders near the castle doors, who took any chance they could to either shoot curses or banish transfigured projectiles at them.

They were helped immensely by the Merfolk residing in the Black lake; they answered Harry's call to defend their home and used their domicile to devastating effect. Staying far away from the banks, they were safe from the curses of the death eaters but at the same time could use their Blow Pipes to shoot poisoned darts and throw spears and Tridents at the Giants and Trolls. Their barrage also forced the death eaters on the back foot and persuaded them to take evasive action or just duck behind the meager cover offered by the undulations in the land.

_Needa_ and Clandi who accompanied their three human friends into battle were forced to watch in impatience from the side lines. Harry could sense their desire to join the fight but he was adamant in refusing them the chance to join the battle. Even though Luna and he were able to move around and defend themselves, Hermione was not. The sheer numbers and the tenacity of the Giants was taking all her concentration, leaving her vulnerable to attack. It was up to _Needa_ and Clandi to keep a lookout and alert either Harry or Luna to the danger or if it was nearer, take out the threat themselves. Into this state of affairs Lady Hedwig flashed in her phoenix form, "_**Go my children, I will take care of Lady Hermione**_" she sent to the two animals. Lady Hedwig was not allowed to interfere directly in the conflict but she was determined to keep her favourite orphaned children safe.

The two familiars were only happy to follow Lady Hedwig's orders, with a quick bow they hastened towards the battle. Clandi clamped onto _Needa_ who raced towards the death eaters congregated around an increasingly frustrated Lord Voldemort. The impetus provided by _Needa_ allowed Clandi to take flight but she did not relinquish her hold on the Wolf Wrath and like a bowling ball, a powerful thrust of Clandi's legs sent _Needa_ careening into the mass of death eaters. Getting the chance to finally show their prowess in battle the two familiars quickly began causing mayhem among the panicked attackers using their abilities to vanish and appear randomly.

Into this chaos and attracted by blood and smell of flesh, the Acromantula from the forbidden forest descended. Harry and Luna had their hands full trying to prevent the spiders from crossing the expanse of the grounds and overrun the defenders who were taking refuge inside the castle but were still taking down any enemy who was within range of their spell fire. The Giant spiders were very agile and the only attack that was effective against them was Harry's fire balls.

Luna called her bow, '_Nisabda Mrityu_' to her and notching up an arrow let fly; with the Giants finally taken down or in the process of dying, Hermione also called '_Vegira Nyayam_' to her and joined Luna. The air sang with the 'twang' of bows and arrows flying, the wizards and witches watched in amazement as each arrow that was coated with venom from Clandi duplicated into two, then four, and so on midflight. The Goblin made and Elvin charmed arrows easily penetrated the thick skin of the Acromantula but it took more than one poisoned arrow to slow them down and at least five to finally bring them down.

The Centaurs that lived in the Forbidden forest and that were itching to eliminate their dreaded enemy followed the charging spiders and joined the battle. They killed the downed spiders ruthlessly while evading the burning or smoldering creatures under Harry's onslaught. Any eight legged creature that managed to come near the King and his Queens met the blades of Liege Lord Ragnok and his entourage who took on the role of the trio's body guards.

What started as a preordained victory for Lord Voldemort and his forces now turned to be an annihilation of his forces. Banking heavily on the Dementors to finish the battle without firing even a single curse, the Dark Lord brought all of the vile creatures present on the Isles, to the battle and in one stroke they were eliminated. Scores of Werewolves, Giants, Trolls, and even the timely arrival of Acromantula could not give him the win he craved for. His death eaters who terrorized the general population for more than thirty years were now all but wiped out in a deadly attack mainly by two animals and the Merfolk, and those surviving were looking at the young man and the two girls flanking him with dread.

Lord Voldemort growled in rage, he did not want to restore to this but driven to the edge, he had no option and ordered the two caged and silenced Banshees to be released. The cry of a Banshee was fatal to Humans, Goblins, and any other magical race that had the misfortune to encounter it. Lord Voldemort did not want to use them in battle, as he himself was at risk but now he was prepared to take that risk and cast numerous protection, silencing, and sound numbing charms around himself. The fifteen death eaters who looked like death wormed over finally lost their courage and portkeyed out of the grounds leaving their master all alone with only the Banshees forming his attacking force.

Each one of the defenders watched with increasing dread as the beings that looked like a cross between deranged women and inferi made their way slowly towards the castle. Harry, Hermione, and Luna were at their wits end but were saved by the '_Apuroopa Dalam_' perched as a crown on Luna's head, "_**Set me free Lady Luna**_" the offspring of '_Kalpa Taru_' called in their minds. Luna whipped her crown and sent it spinning through the air like a Frisbee.

Guided by the visual cues from Luna, the vines of the crown untangled themselves and increased in size. The watchers in the castle could only watch mesmerized, even disregarding the danger posed by the Banshee, as the vines began flying through the air riding on the gentle breeze. The Banshee paused in their walk and began drawing a huge gulp of air for their screech attack but even before they could understand what was happening, they were quickly and efficiently trussed up like mummies, shutting off their cries.

The respite gave Hermione an idea and allowed her to discuss the solution with Rowena Ravenclaw's spirit in the castle. With inputs from Godric, Salazar, and Helga and approval from her husband and sister wife, a solution was quickly worked out. Impeccable coordination honed by years of sharing their thoughts allowed Hermione, who took over the minds of the Banshees and Luna through her familiar, the '_Apuroopa Dalam_', to maneuver them from afar to their advantage. As soon as Luna freed their mouths from the grip of the vines, Hermione forced the two Banshees to lock lips. The Banshees were obviously immune to their own cries but the shock waves produced and now directed straight at their brains did their job very well and their heads exploded killing the two Banshees instantly. The job done, Luna's familiar uncoiled from the dead creatures and returned to her pride of place as Luna's crown.

Harry was enraged at the lengths Lord Voldemort was prepared to go to get his hands on British Wizarding world. "That's it, we have to end it now" he growled.

As soon as the words left his mouth, _Needa_ latched onto Lord Voldemort's leg bringing him down to the ground. Clandi sank her fangs and injected her poison that was designed to immobilize and kill, and together with _Needa_ pinned the Dark Lord to the ground. Harry gathered his magic and raised his staff skyward and after Hermione gave a mental command of "_**Fall Back!**_" to the two animals, Harry brought it hard onto the ground.

A bolt of lightning as hot as the sun itself crashed onto the prone Lord Voldemort and without respite a slowly advancing Harry pummeled him with fireballs while Hermione and Luna added their own conjured fire to the mix. They kept the attack for a few seconds sufficient to turn anything in their path to ash. As the trio accompanied by Ragnok and the Chieftain of the Centaur tribe neared Lord Voldemort, people from inside the castle began to slowly make their way to the fallen Dark Lord.

Mouths hung open in shock when they saw the burnt, bruised, and bleeding but still breathing form of Lord Voldemort. His clothes were smoldering but the skin that was protected by the tattered robes was healing before their very eyes. Harry exchanged bewildered glances with his wives but caught the look of resignation on the headmaster's face.

He was distracted by Lord Voldemort, "You cannot defeat me, whoever you are" he rasped, "I am invincible." With that the Dark Lord activated his portkey and disappeared from the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, defeated, burnt, and feeble but still breathing.

"_**Dumbledore knows something**_" Harry sent to his wives. The sharp glances that the two young women sent towards him alerted the rest of the party and they turned towards the self-proclaimed leader of light for an explanation.

Before Dumbledore could speak however, the rapid movement combined with her exhaustion caused Hermione to nearly fall down but Harry swept her into his arms in a bridal carry. "Just before Lord Voldemort was about to portkey out, I was able to breach his mental defenses" Hermione whispered to Harry and Luna but it was loud enough in the calm early evening air for everyone to hear.

Harry smiled gently at his exhausted wife, "Was that the sudden spike in magical outflow that I felt."

"Yes, I had to draw magic heavily from you. Sorry My Husband…" she began but Harry silenced her apologies with a kiss.

"I know where he was headed to, to a Manor house in a small community called Little Hangleton. That was where he was hiding out" Hermione continued.

Dumbledore could not help the gasp of surprise mixed with a little awe that escaped him. Harry caught on very quickly, "Headmaster, my wife is tired but we will meet and talk about this tomorrow. Please expect us at breakfast; we need answers" he said in a stern tone that brooked no arguments.

Dumbledore sighed in response, "I believe you do, till tomorrow then" he agreed.

Harry began walking away but paused to look at the destruction and the littered bodies. A pop beside him brought the arrival of the head of the house elves at Hogwarts, "Let us restore the grounds to their pristine splendor, My Lord" the elf bowed deeply. The respect and the address raised quite a few eyebrows but their surprise was only increased when Liege Lord Ragnok and the victorious Goblins also bowed deeply before Harry and his wives, their faces nearly touching the ground, before travelling to Gringotts.

Ignoring the smile on Dumbledore's face, who by now recognized him, Harry with Hermione in his arms turned to Luna who grabbed his waist and activated the portkey to take them to Potter Manor as _Needa_ and Clandi would travel by their own means. Harry gently placed Hermione on the couch in their living room, "That tired me out more than I imagined" Hermione sighed.

Luna gave her a grin, "No worries My Sister, I will get you back to shape in no time. We cannot miss our daily dose of our husband now can we?"

"No we cannot…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A tired but happy bunch comprising of the staff of Hogwarts, a few aurors and the Minister of magic met in the headmaster's office. It took them some time to get there as they had to endure the jubilation of the students who were cheering their unknown saviours, the three warriors who literally defeated the forces of darkness by themselves, with a little help from the Goblins, Centaurs, and Merfolk of course. Those that watched the interaction between the leader of the Goblins and the young man who was presumably in command, knew for sure that it was the three humans who looked no more than children that amassed the forces against Lord Voldemort and saved the day.

Partaking of the refreshments brought by the house elves, the professor for charms Flitwick asked the most obvious and burning question, "Do you know who the three warriors were Albus; I have never witnessed such power and regal bearing before."

Dumbledore now had the twinkle back in his eyes, obviously relieved at the narrow escape they had, the identity of the young man may probably have had a part to play too, "All I have are suppositions Filius, and for once I am happy to share them with you" that comment elicited some good natured chuckles from not only the staff but also from the aurors, "I suspect that the young man is Harry Potter."

Gasps of astonishment met his statement but that did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm. "Yes, He does have an uncanny resemblance to James Potter and those eyes…" his deputy McGonagall supported his conjecture.

"… Lily's eyes…" Flitwick agreed.

"Now that you mention it, yes, he had an astonishing resemblance to his parents" Amelia Bones the head of the Law enforcement concurred.

"The young woman with the blonde hair looked a lot like my old friend Celeste Lovegood" the muggle studies professor Charity Burbage offered her opinion and there were a few nods of agreement among those who met the deceased Lady Lovegood before.

McGonagall heaved a sigh of relief, she could now reveal the secret she had been guarding for three years, "Then I guess and I hope that the other young woman is Hermione Granger."

She was met with a raised eyebrow from the headmaster and perplexed looks from her colleagues, "Yes, I was supposed to meet her and introduce her to our world, she's a muggleborn by the way. Do you remember what happened during that years' sorting?" she asked.

When there were a few entreaties for an explanation from those who were not the staff of the school McGonagall explained a few things about that night and continued, "I noticed that their names were obscured as if some very powerful magic was hiding them."

"Oh!" Dumbledore exclaimed. He was surprised but was also perhaps a little relieved that the real 'Boy-Who-Lived' was indeed alive, the other two were not too much of a concern to him, but if they were with Harry Potter then it was of some importance. "I hope so my dear! I sincerely hope so…"

A sense of calm descended on all those who literally came back from the brink of annihilation and probably were also enjoying the taste of freedom. Only one man was not really happy with the turn of the events and that was the potion master, Severus Snape. He was not in a hurry to carry the news of the possible identities of their tormentors to his master; he dared not go to his side now. Not only was Lord Voldemort grievously injured but he would also be angry at him for not giving him the intelligence about the new comers. Snape was sure that Lord Voldemort would not believe him even if he swore that he never knew about the three warriors who turned the tide against them.

Snape shivered at the thought of the punishment he would receive at the hands of Lord Voldemort; it was he who bragged the rights for ending the Hufflepuff line and to think that the Lovegood girl was in fact alive. Even if he wanted to tend to the injuries of the Dark Lord, he could not do so; with the wards of the castle down, all the staff members and the aurors who were left behind were to patrol the castle to ensure the safety of students. He would definitely be missed and that would also add to his punishment; Snape could not stop the involuntary spasm that ran through his body.

That twitch caught the attention of Madam Bones, "… and you Mr. Snape" she addressed him with barely contained anger, "… you never knew that 'You-Know-Who' was planning a major attack? You, who claimed to be working for Dumbledore and got away scot free all those years ago, did not inform us of such a congregation of forces?"

"Amelia, I have complete trust in Severus" Dumbledore interjected hoping to stave off a major blow up. He was also intrigued about the lack of news but he wanted to question his professor in private not when there were witnesses.

The potions professor successfully hid his disdain, but put a front of an apology, "I confess that I met the Dark Lord a few times but never heard about any talks with other dark creatures or allies." Then he frowned, "Maybe my association with the headmaster for the past twelve years had cast aspirations on my loyalty to him?" he wondered.

Dumbledore seized that opportunity, "Severus! It is of utmost importance that you regain his faith in you. Please try your best to gain his confidence, you should probably be by his side tonight, I could exempt you from the patrolling duties" he entreated.

Snape grimaced, the thought of meeting his master at this time was certainly unsavory, "I do not think it would be a good idea to barge in without him calling me, headmaster. I will go to his side when he has a need of me. That would be the best way to gain his confidence" he emphasized his point with a nod of his head as if he was thinking about it and made the decision on the spot.

Even though the aurors looked at Snape with suspicion and a hint of anger, his act was convincing at least to Dumbledore and his diehard followers and that topic was dropped in favour of a discussion on the best way to bring their triumph over Lord Voldemort to the public and the best way to curry Harry Potter's favour. Nothing was said about the Dark Lord's survival even in the face of such powerful display of elemental powers from the 'Boy-Who-Lived' and Dumbledore heaved a private sigh of relief at his escape, at least for the night.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry, Hermione, and Luna travelled to Hogwarts the next morning right before the start of breakfast at the school. The celebrations ran long into the night and it was more of a meal before they would finally go to sleep rather than breakfast. Lady Hedwig flashed the three of them into a secluded corridor before the entrance to the great hall, and they were met by raptures of joy and thanks as soon as they entered the hall.

The headmaster followed by the other professors and Madam Amelia Bones who invited herself to the meeting, came down from the staff table to greet the three saviours with beaming smiles. "Welcome to Hogwarts; or should I even welcome the owners into their own house?" Dumbledore greeted them with an affable air.

Harry bowed his head in acceptance, "Thank you, it's nice to finally set foot into the domain of learning that our grandparents gave up their very lives, for."

Dumbledore grinned in triumph at his perceived victory in discerning the identity of the one who saved them and then led the way towards the teacher's table while introducing the others; but as soon as they neared the table for Gryffindor house, two students stood up and nearly blocked the way much to the disappointment of the professors.

"I am the 'True Boy-Who-Lived' Neville Longbottom" he introduced himself pompously. Neville knew that no one in Britain believed it anymore but he was adamant that it was just a ploy by Lord Voldemort to discredit him and induce discord into the forces of light. He was of the opinion that his true worth would come to light at the right time. He caught sight of the two beautiful women with grace, poise, and elegance walking towards them and even though they towered his modest five feet four inches, he was sure that his name and fame would impress them enough. He totally disregarded the man who had the stature of a warrior and the bearing of a king, but more importantly had the girls' hands tucked into his elbows. He was out to impress the girls and with his relationship with Ginny Weasley rocky, he wanted a new girlfriend or maybe even two.

Hermione was the closest to the boy who was nearly drooling and gazing at them with thinly veiled desire and brought up her most aristocratic tone of voice, "… and I am the Lady Potter, Hermione Jane Granger-Potter and I am on my husband's arm. If you are to be more formal or particular, I am the Lady Rowenger- Ravenclaw- Granger- Potter." The staff and students were stunned and even the headmaster looked shocked; when the staff heard the headmaster's address to the man in lead, they could deduce that the young man was a descendent of one of the four founders but his identity was still a mystery to them. Their suspicions were proved correct when the lady on the young man's right introduced herself as Lady Potter; everyone knew that the Potters were descendants of Godric Gryffindor, but it was still shocking to know that the girl was a direct descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw. Most of the watchers saw her in action with only a bow and arrow, they did not know about her real prowess but the comment about breaking through the Dark Lord's mental defenses told them a different story. They had no clue as to who this Rowenger and Granger were but the names Potter and Ravenclaw were enough to convince them not to mess with her.

Before the floundering boy blocking them could collect his wits, the other lady on the left of the young man who they could now say for sure was Harry Potter, added to his shock, "… and I am the Lady Frairwood- Hufflepuff- Lovegood- Potter to you, or Luna Celeste Lovegood-Potter to my friends" with that she dismissed the thoroughly deflated boy with a negligent wave of her hand.

Meanwhile, Hermione's attention was centered on the black haired professor who was a little to the left and behind the headmaster, and who was watching Luna with a contemplative stare and a little hint of fear. Without any resistance she dwelled into his mind and gasped, "Sister! That man was the one responsible for your parents' deaths" she cried pointing her finger.

Everyone in the great hall was shocked; no one more than Dumbledore. He always believed and touted to anyone who dared to hear that Snape was the ideal example for his 'everyone needs to be given a chance to redeem'. Snape was startled too but managed to deny the accusation vehemently, "Headmaster, this little girl does not know what she is talking about."

The disdain in his voice was enough for most of the students to be convinced of his guilt, moreover almost all of them knew how blatantly Snape showed his bias to his own house. They were hoping and praying that Snape would be caught and then thrown out of the castle. Harry did not disappoint them, "If what you say was indeed true, I am sure that you would not have a problem in swearing a magical oath to the effect that you did not have a role in the death of Xeno and Celeste Lovegood…" and after a mental prompt from Hermione continued, "… and that of James and Lily Potter" he growled in barely restrained anger.

That statement was followed by gasps of shock. Snape had no intention of admitting anything and that too in front of witnesses, some of who would do anything to see that he faced the gallows but after a subtle nudge from Hermione, much like the effect of Veritaserum, he began spilling his guts, "Of course I was the one to direct the Dark Lord to the Potters; I was the one who told him that Peter Pettigrew was the secret keeper and not the blood traitor Black. After that it was very easy for the Dark Lord to reel in the rat for his own purpose." He sneered at Harry, "I took great pride in seeing the Gryffindor line ended forever but the brat had to live, and not only that somehow caused the Dark Lord to lose his body."

The potions master directed his gaze at Luna, "I did not have anything against the Lovegoods but when the news came through that Harry Potter was killed at the hands of his muggle relatives, I knew that there was only one family between my master and glory. That was the line of Hufflepufff; no one knew if the Ravenclaw line even existed anymore and so when I had the opportunity, I did my best to eliminate all the other Hogwarts founders' lines. That would leave my master the only one capable of controlling Hogwarts and the immense power with it. You all could have died silently but no…" with that he tried to lunge at them but Harry hit him with a petrification spell and froze his arms and legs leaving him capable of hearing and speaking.

Dumbledore looked at his longtime confidant with shock; it was almost as if the aged wizard was seeing Snape for the first time while most of the staff felt as if their suspicions were finally confirmed. Keeping his boiling anger in check, Harry gritted out, "Severus Snape, for your transgressions against the houses of Potter and Lovegood, I hereby declare your life forfeit. As the head of both the houses I will see that justice prevails this time."

Snape swallowed hard, he knew that there could be no remorse in the eyes of the Potter brat, he hoped and prayed that Dumbledore would be able to come to his rescue again with his 'forgive everyone' attitude. That would buy him some time and with luck he could escape from wherever they would hold him and then get to his master to wreak havoc later. Dumbledore did not disappoint the potions master, "Harry, My Boy, You should find the compassion in you. Anger and revenge are the sure way to turn to the darkness in your heart; everyone has the chance for remorse."

His sales pitch was met with snorts from Hermione and Luna which actually helped Harry calm himself down. He flashed a grin at his wives, thanking them silently, but all geniality was forgotten when he turned back to the self-proclaimed leader of the 'light' side, "How many times did you plead for his innocence and how many times did he turn a leaf? He came to you apparently seeking remorse after he betrayed my parents to his true master and just as he predicted you saved him from his just fate. He should have been condemned with the other death eaters, but you begged for leniency saying that he was ready to serve the 'light' side. Not more than five years later he went out to kill the Lovegoods, torture innocents and who knows what other immoral acts in a school full of children."

Harry knew that he was probably crossing a line, insinuating that Snape might have behaved immorally with the students but he had to push his point through and saw that quite a few in the audience looked a little green. Most importantly, Dumbledore was frozen on the spot. This gave him the impetus to continue with Hermione giving him the details she gleaned from the potions master, "He was the one who brewed the potion that was used in the ritual used for resurrecting Lord Voldemort and took part in the ritual with his free will. What does that make you, a liar or worse an accomplice?"

Dumbledore looked horrified at that accusation, but could not even refute the argument. Harry never gave him the chance to retaliate though, "No, his chances for remorse have come and gone without even a hint of a change in him. I demand vengeance for the pain he put me and my wife through, I demand justice" Harry's aura flashed out once but the hands on his shoulders tightened their grip and that grounded him.

"You cannot give in to your passion, My Boy!" Dumbledore pleaded. Harry could see that quite a few students and even professor McGonagall and Hagrid were furiously shaking their heads in response to the headmaster's plea. "Let the courts decide his fate."

This time Harry did not hide his disgust, "… and allow you to influence the members of the wizengamot to give this piece of filth a chance to escape and cause more mayhem, NO!"

"You cannot decide this, you are merely a head of house, not the Chief Warlock" Dumbledore tried to use his authority as the head of the Wizengamot.

That scare tactic did not even faze Harry, "I am not only the head of four houses, but also the Lord and Master of Hogwarts." Dumbledore paled while Harry smirked for everyone to see, "… as long as the person who committed the heinous crimes resides within the walls of this castle, I have the power to prosecute him. As the heir of all the four founders either by birthright or by the right of marriage I have the authority to extract justice, especially if the offender poses a threat to the school."

Madam Bones, the representative for Law Enforcement in the Ministry could not refute Harry's claims; Hogwarts was primarily an autonomous institute and even though the Minister of Magic wanted it, was not under Ministry law. More importantly the Lord of Hogwarts, a position of power that was never seen before, was indeed the law within the lands governed by the School and on cases where the security of the students was concerned even the DMLE did not have the jurisdiction within Hogwarts. They could only assist or respond to the request of the Lord of Hogwarts. When Dumbledore turned to her for support she squared her shoulders and met his stare without a flinch, "Lord Potter, as the law within Hogwarts, has the right to claim justice." She heard from her niece about the blatant misuse of authority by1 the potions professor and even if Harry Potter was not in the right, she was ready to overlook the infraction. After the way Dumbledore used his authority to free the man who played a part in the deaths of James and Lily Potter, she was not ready to leave him to Dumbledore's authority again.

Cheers erupted from all the students of three houses and a few from Slytherin house too. The few students who were ardent supporters of Snape looked on in shock; whether it was due to the fact that their head of house was getting his head snapped off or for the comment that Harry Potter was the heir to Salazar Slytherin, was not evident. When the hubbub died, Harry addressed Snape directly, "Your crimes are too numerous to be even given a lesser punishment" Harry stood at his fullest height, "As the head of house for Black, Granger, Lovegood, and Potter houses, I declare a honour duel."

Luna interjected in his thoughts, "_**Harry, please give me the chance to avenge my parents**_" she pleaded.

"_**Are you sure My Love?**_" he asked and when he detected the hurt in his wife, he quickly elaborated, "_**I do not doubt your ability My Pretty Luna Girl, but can the healer in you allow you to take a life?**_"

Luna gave in to her emotions and hugged him tight even though they were being gawked at, "_**Thank you My Husband; Yes, as the one that was blessed by 'Kalpa Taru' I have the duty to restore balance and with you and my sister wife beside me, my conscience will be clean.**_"

Harry accepted that explanation and kissed her gently before addressing Snape, "The one you have wronged through your direct action will be the one to duel you."

Snape let out a sigh of relief, he suddenly felt confidant; 'How dumb can one get' he though. He was terrified of the power that Harry Potter wielded and knew that even his master took the cowardly route in face of his power, 'but this blonde brat' he scoffed. She was bigger than an average mature woman, yes, but that did not mean she was powerful or even had the skill to take him down; he was proficient in the dark arts and the girl would probably not even have the heart to injure him. "I accept" he agreed immediately, lest Harry changed his mind, "When I defeat her, I demand safe passage out of the grounds."

Harry smirked at him, "Granted."

"Mr. Potter? Are you sure?" professor McGonagall opened her mouth for the first time and she looked concerned as were quite a few in the audience. Harry simply gave her a nod of his head and in face of the confidence that the trio was displaying, who were they to question that decision?

An area in the center of the hall was quickly cleared for the duel and Dumbledore with Flitwick's assistance erected protective barriers around. Without preamble Luna disposed of her outer robes and the dress she was wearing. The form fitting dragon hide armour she was wearing underneath caused a few of the older boys to swallow hard and they had to avert their eyes, lest they anger her husband. Even though she was a fourteen year old, her obvious and attractive curves were on display and at the same time so was the strength in her arms and legs. Quite a few of them felt hot under their collars and they were lucky that they were spared; Harry did notice the glances she was attracting and though he knew that Luna was his wife, he was still a teenager. Luna understood his anger and gave Harry a saucy wink, promising a treat back at their home, and that caused Hermione to burst out laughing which cooled Harry's anger too.

Taking their places on either side of the platform, Snape also shed his outer robes but the confident stance and the poise with which Luna met his glare gave him pause. The fact that she was not carrying a wand was also evident; he was not foolish enough to think that she would be hindered due to the lack of a wand. If she was able to use 'wandless magic' and in battle too, Snape wondered how powerful she was, and for the first time after he accepted the challenge he felt a little fear, but there was nothing he could do now.

Severus Snape was not willing to take any chances and so as soon as the duel started he fired a string of curses which would not only have ended the duel but also Luna's life if they hit; only they never found their target. Luna was a blur of motion that was grace personified, whenever her feet hit the ground, a spell left her hands that streaked towards her opponent. It looked as if her spells were just missing the potions master, but the numerous cuts and bruises that marred his entire body and the clothes that were covered with blood and even smoldering at a few places told a different tale. The precise and graceful movements incorporated by Luna in her fight looked deadly and beautiful at the same time; it was reminiscent of the dance of destruction performed by _Vinasa_ himself before he brought death, both exhilarating and morbid at the same time.

Only a few minutes into the duel, the potions master fell on his knees bringing a pause to the extremely fast pace set by the duelers. Looking at a barely tasked Luna scrutinizing the panting professor, the watchers understood with stark clarity that Lady Luna Lovegood-Potter was toying with the man who destroyed her family. This innocent looking girl who was not even fifteen was playing with the most hated man in the castle like a big cat playing with its prey before the final kill.

Neville was terrified at the display, he could never dream of that skill and the sheer ruthlessness shown by the girl. He could only thank his good fortune that he did not seriously offend the girl when he was trying to curry favour with her earlier; maybe it was the presence of Snape that he had to thank. He shuddered at the thought of facing an irate Harry Potter if he flirted too much with his wife; Neville could not imagine himself surviving that encounter. He was quickly coming to the conclusion that it was in his best interests to leave the three Potters alone; maybe Ginny would take him back if he groveled enough. He was not bound to get a better girl as his girlfriend if the lie that Dumbledore propagated and his own shame continued much longer. At that moment Neville made up his mind to talk to his grandmother as see if the alliance between the Potter and Longbottom families could be restarted. He could only pray that the current Lord Potter was feeling charitable.

Harry saw that the potions master was at his end, Luna had him under her thumb and it was time to end it and so spoke in his commanding voice, "Severus Snape, You have been found guilty of transgressions against the members of Lovegood, Hufflepuff, Frairwood, Potter, Gryffindor and Griffter houses. As the head of house, I demand payment with your life" as he said that his eyes found Luna. She only found unwavering love and support for her shining through the eyes of the two who were now her only family, Harry and Hermione.

Bolstered by their support, Luna turned to the defeated man struggling to get onto his feet, "Severus Snape, it is time for you to face your true judgment at the hands of the three gods" saying that Luna clenched her fist crushing the 'Life Node' in him. The first cell that formed due to the union of the egg and sperm is transformed into the 'Life Node' at a later stage in the developing embryo. Life in the embryo is considered to be initiated when that event takes place; no one neither the fairies nor Luna knew for sure when the transformation would take place; only that it would happen when the embryo was firmly implanted in the mother's womb. Luna suspected that '_Kalpa Taru_' was privy to that but humans were probably not privileged to know that.

A stunned crowd watched as an unconcerned Luna joined her husband and sister wife in a three way embrace and reveled in their unbridled love for her.


	21. Chapter 21

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 21**

**September 11, 1994, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland**

Despite the obvious need for answers, Harry allowed the headmaster to lead the party to his office in order to prevent others from eavesdropping on their conversation. Dumbledore was hard-pressed to hide not only his shock at the betrayal of his most favoured professor in the school but also troubled by the ease at which he was deceived. The lack of any remorse at taking a life by the three Potters also bothered the headmaster who believed in giving a chance to those in the wrong to change their ways. If he was to really ask himself, he would be hard pressed to censure the three bond mates regarding their decision to take the life of Severus Snape, not that Harry or Luna would have listened to the old man's concerns. Dumbledore had to acknowledge at least to himself that the mistakes he made, whether inadvertently or coerced by Snape had a major role to play in the current situation they found themselves in. He did not forget the prayer he made just before the battle and thanked the gods profusely for the timely intervention of the three Potters that prevented a catastrophe. What he did not know however was, that his professed penance was not deemed to be sufficient by the gods, they were eagerly waiting to guide Harry and his wives into doling out a just punishment for the manipulative old man.

As soon as they were seated inside the office, Madam Bones laid into the headmaster with a harsh glare enough to melt ice, "It was your testimony that allowed Snape to go scot free; he was not even allowed to be questioned at your insistence. What was the reason that he was given a preferential treatment not only with his punishment but also with his position here at the school?"

Every eye in the room turned to that of the headmaster even that of his own phoenix, a bright red and gold coloured bird perched on a bookshelf in the corner of the office. Dumbledore never felt so intimidated before, not because of the stares, after all he considered himself powerful enough not to feel threatened by the occupants, except maybe for the three Potters, but the thought of what he would have to reveal made him fear for his well-being. The particular glare of both the wives of Harry Potter made him sweat, he understood that they knew about the treatment of Harry at the hands of his relatives and he was also sure that they knew that he was the one to place him there.

Before he could speak though, he was startled by the cold voice of Hermione Potter, "You better start talking Mr. Dumbledore before I lose my patience. If I have to rip the information out of your mind, it would not be pleasant to you." She already gained the knowledge about Snape's infatuation of Lily Potter nee Evans as soon as they took their seats and without the headmaster knowing too, but she felt anger at the blind faith the headmaster had for the former potions professor.

Dumbledore sighed deeply, there was no other way but to let go of his secrets, "When I was interviewing a candidate for the position of professor of Divination, she uttered a prophecy. This prophecy revealed the identity of the one who had the power to defeat the Dark Lord Voldemort."

He was interrupted by gasps of astonishment from the deputy headmistress McGonagall, "The old bat Trelawney, gave a prophecy?" Harry was saddened by the truth of how their family was destroyed just because of the ramblings of a woman, he could not even discount it as nothing but a fraud since they were aware of another prophecy that tied him and his wives with the darkness that they were currently fighting against.

Almost everyone in the room tried their best to hide their sniggers and even the headmaster's mouth twitched in amusement, "Yes" he conceded, "The important thing was that the initial part of the prophecy was overheard by a new death eater recruit."

"Snape" quite a few growled out that word.

Dumbledore acknowledged that with a nod of his head, "He was thrown out before the entire prophecy was heard but he carried it to his master." The headmaster now put on an air of deep remorse even though he knew that it was Snape who purportedly felt it, "When he knew that the prophecy could target his best friend, Lily Potter, he came to me and begged to do my best to protect her." Dumbledore was now confident that everyone in the room would agree with his desire to protect Snape.

Luna was very quick to pour cold water over the headmaster's logic, "Only Harry's mother?" she wanted him to clarify. The topic was too sensitive to Harry and so he allowed his wives to interrogate the headmaster which they did with zeal all the while sending Harry their comfort through their bond.

With uncertainty lacing his voice Dumbledore answered in the affirmative, his confusion was dispelled however as soon as Hermione retorted, "You felt that the man was remorseful even when he did nothing to try and save Harry, the one he knew could be the prophesied one to defeat Lord Voldemort." Dumbledore's eyes widened in realization but Hermione was relentless, "Did that not tell you that his so called remorse was nothing but a desire to get Harry's mother to himself and nothing to do with saving the child. I am sure he had no intentions of saving Harry or his father" she finished scathingly.

"How did you not see that, Albus?" McGonagall began berating her longtime friend and was immediately supported by Flitwick, "Despite our protests you made him the head of Slytherin house and see how he was able to foster animosity between the houses. I agree with Lady Ravenclaw, he only wanted to save his own skin."

"Enough beating around the bush headmaster give us the all-important prophecy" Amelia gritted with barely restrained anger.

Dumbledore hedged, "I am not sure that it is a good idea."

"Even after Snape was known to be a traitor, and took everything to his master?" Amelia countered in disbelief.

Before the argument could escalate though Hermione intoned, "**The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..., Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..., and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not..., and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..., The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies**"

Dumbledore looked at her in astonishment, "How… Why…?" he spluttered but after quickly regaining his composure adopted a stern look and admonished her, "That was meant to be a secret and now you let it known to the whole world."

Harry was quick to defend his wife, "Your attitude only shows that you do not trust even those you consider your friends. Everyone needs an occasional counsel and if you think that you are the only one who knows best then, the results would be exactly what they are now."

"Besides, Lord Voldemort already knows that Harry is a threat to him, he may not know the identity of the person who handed him his arse but now he knows that there is someone out to get him" Luna chirped in unfazed.

Even Dumbledore had to accept that logic but he had more concerns, "I have been unable to identify what this unknown power is? Can you please enlighten an old man?"

"Sorry, but that is something that we have to keep a secret" Hermione came back at him with a sweet smile. That statement brought smirks to the faces of Madam Bones, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick and a barely restrained scowl to the headmaster's face.

"_**This ties neatly with the other prophecy, I think that the 'Being Supreme' stated in that one may be the key to defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all**_" Harry mused in their minds and both Hermione and Luna agreed to his assessment.

His wives agreed quickly, "_**But what or more specifically how do we go about using this 'Being Supreme'? Do we even have a control as to its manifestation?**_" Hermione pondered.

"Ok, this prophecy states that Lord Potter would have the power to defeat the Dark Lord, and these three did put him on the back foot. What I want to know is how did Lord Voldemort survive the onslaught?" Madam Bones was relentless in questioning Dumbledore.

Even the three Potters wanted to know the answer for that; they were a little disheartened after seeing Lord Voldemort survive a lightning strike. Hermione was able to pilfer the location of his safe house but nothing more, and that too after a tremendous effort on her part, which nearly exhausted her magical reserves. They wanted to know how his body was able to repair itself; they knew of only one thing that could give a mortal that power, but at the same time were also sure that the 'Nectar of Life' or '_Amrutham_' was unavailable to humans.

Dumbledore was not keen to admit his mistake but was not given any respite as professor Flitwick answered that question, "A few years ago, the headmaster brought the 'Philosopher's Stone' into the castle for safekeeping. We however found out during the summer of '92, that the stone was missing. We did not know when for sure but now I believe that Lord Voldemort stole it sometime between September 1991 and May the next year."

"Ok… what is this stone and what is it to do with the ability to regenerate?" Harry asked a little dubiously.

The three Potters were given a crash course about Nicolas Flamel's creation that had the ability to turn any metal into gold but more importantly produce the 'Elixir of Life'. They also speculated the role the stone might have played in the ritual that was used to bring Lord Voldemort back to life. Meanwhile the three bondmates were furiously debating the consequences of having a very powerful curative potion, one that apparently was as powerful as the 'Nectar of Life' in its healing ability.

"_**Even if we think that Lord Voldemort took the 'Elixir of Life' before the battle, do you think that it would result in such a rapid rate of healing, not to mention the ability of the body to be protected from lightning and fire?**_" Hermione asked her sister wife.

Luna pursued her lips in thought figuratively of course; as the others could only see that they were deep in thought. No one knew that the three could communicate effortlessly in their minds, something that the three Potters were not keen on sharing any time soon, or any details about the time they spent in the past for that matter. "_**I am not sure, that would depend on the type of elixir that the stone produces. But you were right My Sister, it would probably be impossible for even 'Amrutham' to counter such a tremendous strain on the body and so soon.**_"

"Do you know how this stone was used in the resurrection ritual?" Harry questioned Dumbledore but did not get any answer. Even the others acknowledged that Dumbledore was the only one who could know the best about the 'Philosopher's Stone' due to his friendship with the creator of the stone, but even Dumbledore was at a loss to explain the details of the ritual. He now understood the depths of the betrayal of his erstwhile potions professor. Hermione also chimed in their bond that she did not get any glimpse regarding the resurrection ritual but in her defense, she was not looking for it too.

The three Potters were startled when the voice of '_Kalpa Taru_' filtered into their minds through the '_Apuroopa Dalam_' that was the crown that Luna wore. "_**If the stone was used in the ritual it is possible that the magic of the stone was also incorporated into the magical construct that was the body of Lord Voldemort.**_"

Even though the surprise was great, Harry, Hermione, and Luna managed to keep their faces impassive, "_**Does that mean that the man has an ability to heal any and all injuries, however great they may be?**_" Luna questioned, the prospect certainly looked daunting.

The tree of life heaved a sigh, "_**Yes, the magic of the elixir would be tied to his 'Life Force' and then act to cure all his injuries. I do not think that his 'Life Force' would also be restored every time, unlike that of 'Amrutham'; nothing that was made or conceived by mortals would replicate the god given gift. It might have restored the body to a younger version but that was the magic of the ritual and not due to the 'Elixir of Life'. The ritual might have used that stage of Lord Voldemort's life when he might have stored a part of his 'Life Force' as a starting point to make his magically constructed body.**_"

"_**So that means that as long as we are able to drain away his 'Life Force' completely Lord Voldemort could be rendered dead?**_" Harry questioned.

"_**Yes, very much so**_" was the reply.

Hermione had more immediate concerns, "_**If he managed to store away a part of his 'Life Force' before, could it be done again and multiple times?**_"

"_**Hmm…**_" '_Kalpa Taru_' mused, "_**It could be done but would be a very painful process and even though I am the authority in these matters, I am not familiar with the magics of the dark nature and so cannot really speculate on that. It may do you good if you take that as a possibility when you confront him for the final time.**_"

She gave them a few moments to reflect and before fading away had one last thing to impart to Luna, "_**Do you now understand what is asked of you Luna Child?**_"

It was difficult for a fourteen year old to contemplate taking a life in a predetermined way, but Luna took comfort in the strength of her partners and their love for her to do whatever it took to end the menace that was Lord Voldemort. She knew and accepted that she was in fact just a small player in the great cosmic events; Harry had a much larger role to play as a child of two prophecies and her role was to lend him the means and power to do the deed. Luna was sure that Hermione would not allow him to wallow in the grief of killing someone when the times comes and she would be sure not to allow Luna to be the same too; that was the strength of their bond.

Taking a deep breath to steady her nervousness Luna replied, "_**Yes, Mother, I know what to do and I will not fail you or my husband.**_"

To everyone in the room, it looked like the three Potters came back from deep contemplation and were thankful that there were no curses flying after the revelations. It was evident to everyone that Dumbledore made a very big mistake where it concerned James and Lily Potter but especially Harry Potter, and was sure that he had to face the consequences of what he did. They were thankful that it was not in that room; after a few moments of contemplation they retired to the great hall for some lunch.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in the great hall of the school, the headmaster, after being advised by Harry announced to the residents of the castle that the school would be closed for a week. This would allow the students to meet their family and reassure them of their safety and wellbeing, they were however advised not to take the chance to go overseas as Lord Voldemort was still alive. The student population at large decided that the threat was still indeed active but with the prowess of Harry and his wives on display, they were also sure that it would not remain so for long. They did not know when the seemingly inevitable defeat of the Dark Lord would take place but were supremely confident that take place, it would.

The break afforded by the absence of the students would also give the staff a chance to recuperate from their own stress and would also give them time to look for a competent teacher for potions. Harry and his wives hoped wistfully about their own teachers from the Fairies and Dwarves, but knew that both the magical races were not fit to teach under the present circumstances, the Fairies having lost their healing magic and the Dwarves nowhere to be seen.

After lunch and before Harry, Hermione, and Luna could go to the founder's chamber which was the heart of the castle, they were accosted by Neville again but this time he had a pretty redhead on his arm. Both their faces showed a little nervousness but Neville had quite a bit of regret, possibly for his actions earlier in the day.

Neville bowed to the three of them while the girl curtsied a little awkwardly. The Potters returned their gesture with a nod of their heads and this allowed Neville to address them, "Lord Potter, Lady Ravenclaw- Potter, and Lady Hufflepuff- Potter, I humbly beg your pardon for my reprehensible behavior earlier. I was way out of line and beg for your forgiveness."

Harry as the head of the house acknowledged his apology but wanted Hermione and Luna to be the ones to decide, "It is my wives you insulted and it is for them to decide, not me."

Neville looked at them with trepidation but Hermione was gracious enough and Luna followed her sister's example, "I accept your apology Mr. Longbottom. I hope that this turn around would last forever and keep you firmly rooted to the ground."

"I agree that Dumbledore was much to blame in putting you under fire as the 'Boy-Who-Lived' but it was your arrogance that led you wrong. As my sister said, keep your feet on the ground and that is the mark of a true leader" Luna chimed in.

Neville's face flamed red in embarrassment but he knew that the chastisement was well deserved and so nodded his head demurely. "Lord Potter, House Longbottom was aligned with House Potter for many generations and it would be my honour to join you in alliance again" he hoped that Harry would accept the offer as currently he was in no position to defend himself if he was under attack. He silently vowed to do his best to work hard and be able to prove himself worthy of an alliance but for now he needed protection if Lord Voldemort was ever to attack him.

Harry knew that an offer of alliance was never to be taken lightly especially from a house that was traditionally aligned to his house. On the other hand, he also knew that any alliance at the moment would be a one way street and he was not ready to be encumbered with that, especially when he and his wives had a lot of things to do to establish a safer world. So he proposed a compromise, "Mr. Longbottom, I am thankful for your offer, but as you know alliances could only be broached by the respective heads of house. I am keen to maintain the ties that were made by my ancestors but could only do it with a corresponding head of house…" he left it trailing.

Neville understood the implied lack of trust in his conduct and took it as it was meant, a subtle suggestion to wise up his act, "I thank you Lord Potter. I would be looking forward to the day that I would be a worthy head of Longbottom house" he grinned at the redhead that was watching the interaction silently, "… I am sure that my girlfriend Ginevra Weasley would keep me in line."

He got a brilliant smile in return from the said girl and the three Potters took that as their cure to make their way out of the great hall. They were quickly followed out by the headmaster and his deputy much to their annoyance; Harry, Hermione, and Luna wanted some privacy when they would meet their ancestors but it was not to be.

"There's no founder's chamber as you say. I have been the headmaster for more than fifty years now and I have never even heard about it in all the time I was in the castle" Dumbledore bristled when Harry, Hermione, and Luna began walking into the dungeons of the castle to repair the damage that was done to the wards.

Harry glared at the headmaster, "It's this know-it-all attitude that brought this travesty upon this country. Who made you the one to control all our destinies? You are neither the ruler of this world nor the administrator; you are just the head of the judicial body and even then did not take steps to curb the power of the supremacists. Please do not poke your nose into things which are not known to you."

The aged wizard was left sputtering indignantly; no one in his life put him down so harshly. He was the one who knew all that happened or was going to happen. This upstart was not going to lecture him about what he had to do, what if he was the prophesied one, the 'Boy-Who-Lived'? Just as he was beginning to gather his wits about and launch into a tirade, they stopped before a wall.

His attention was diverted to a spot that was pointed out to him, "See that hole there? That was what the man called wormtail did to access the main ward stone."

Dumbledore was left gaping at the sight, he wanted to deny it, and he wanted to say that such a room did not exist but he knew that there was a central ward stone somewhere, just not where. Before his very eyes, under the combined touch of the three bond mates, the wall melted away to form an opening which led them to the huge boulder that was the central ward stone.

"This can be accessed only when the heirs to the four founders are together. If any one of the lines died out, then the castle would have shut the entire area down; even a rat would not have been able to come near this room" Luna supplied helpfully seeing the gob smacked faces of the headmaster and his deputy who accompanied them to the room.

The surprises were not finished however; four ghostly figures rose from the ground and smiled at the three Potters. Anyone who was born on the Isles would recognize the two witches and wizards who gave up their lives to ensure that the wizarding population could learn magic. "Ah! Harry, Hermione, Luna my dears, thank you for taking care of the attack on the school" the female who was obviously the unofficial leader of the four spoke.

Harry flashed a grin and wrapped his arms around the apparition, he could not obviously hold her in a hug but the meaning was clear, "Of course, Rowena, Mum how could we not? This is our legacy, our home."

Totally ignoring the presence of the two professors, the family members exchanged pleasantries, the trio brought their grandparents up to speed about what happened after they arrived at their timeline; taking care not to reveal the fact that they travelled to the past, only that they were well hidden and trained by masters at the art.

Finally after about half an hour of information exchange, Godric brought them to the topic of the ward stone which was still covered by a layer of lead. "Even though the metal covering you see would not allow magic to work, it cannot stop the magic of blood. You three need to bleed onto the ward stone so that our blood in you would reactivate the wards."

"Yes Sir" they replied before cutting their palms and allow enough blood to fall on the ward stone. There was a surge of energy as the ambient magic began channeling through the ward stone as soon as the blood of the founders repaired the damage to the central ward stone, there was a 'ping' that signaled that the wards were back to full power again. Goosebumps erupted on the two professors as a never before felt thrill went up their spines, the magic in the air sang with the strength and magic of the four founders and their will to protect those who sought sanctuary within the walls of the castle.

As the wards began restoring themselves and also purge any dangers lurking within the boundaries of the castle, Rowena turned to the three heirs, "Now, as long as you live only the three of you can tinker with the wards, the headmaster who had the privilege has now lost it due to his negligence. I also hope that you would take an active interest in the school my children."

"Yes Rowena Mum, Hermione is going to be the administrator forthwith and though she would not be the headmistress, all final decisions will be hers. She would be the one to take charge of the day to day activities of the castle, its security, finances and management while the new headmaster would only be concerned with the students and teaching. We also believe that the Charms master, professor Flitwick would be a good headmaster" Luna proposed.

Ignoring the sputtering coming from Dumbledore who knew without a doubt that he was no longer the headmaster, Helga asked, "... and why so?"

Harry answered this time, "Not only is he independent of Dumbledore's thinking but this would put faith in the other magical races that we are willing to work with them too. We are open to reward the right people and hard work irrespective of their race or creed."

"Brilliant!" all the four founders exclaimed.

Rowena Ravenclaw as the spokeswoman for the others intoned, "We approve, let it be known that Filius Flitwick of Goblin descent would be the new headmaster and Minerva McGonagall would continue in her position as the deputy head teacher."

Salazar piped in, "You three will have the control of the wards, but as Hermione would be the one to spend a considerable amount of time in the castle, the primary control would revert to her in your absence." No one had a problem with that arrangement and as soon as that was agreed upon, Harry felt a perceptible drain on his magic as Hermione drew quite a bit from him to manage the wards around the ancient castle.

Harry turned to Dumbledore with an evil glint in his eyes, "As for you Mr. Dumbledore, we have a special task for you, one that would let you know and experience firsthand the evils of your machinations."

Dumbledore was shocked but he could not say anything as the founders themselves decreed, little did he know that Harry was in fact the ruler of the magical world and his word was law from the moment he would declare himself thus. Harry, Hermione, and Luna were keen to do it as soon as they could; now that Lord Voldemort was without most of his followers, it was time to remove his sympathizers from within the government and establish the rightful rule of the 'First Four' families. Change was coming soon to British wizarding world.

"… and don't forget, you have Lord Voldemort on a back foot. Do not give him the time and the leeway to muster enough strength to pose a threat, sympathy to his fate could very well accumulate enough if given time" Salazar ever the strategist advised.

"Yes, Grandpa" the three chorused with cheeky grins. "We already have a plan in place sir and as soon as I get the intelligence we need, we would move in. Hermione had already gleaned his location, it's just a matter of time to pinpoint it" Luna elaborated.

While the four founders were congratulating them on their readiness, Dumbledore blustered, "… and how do you propose to do that. Lord Voldemort could very well have disappeared under a 'Fidelius' and you would never know it."

Godric gave him a sharp glance, "Do not think that you are the one with the power here Dumbledore, you do not know the capabilities of the three before you. Leave it to them to handle the dark lord, do not interfere in their affairs or they would annihilate you."

Even McGonagall was shocked at the venom in the founder of her house's voice; she believed that Dumbledore was the best person to take care of affairs after the fall of Lord Voldemort. In her opinion he would be the next Minister of Magic and in a position to do some good to the world, even though she knew that what he did to Harry Potter was wrong. She always thought that his actions as Chief Warlock were towards the betterment of the society. Her faith in him would come crashing down when the can of worms that was the Wizengamot would be opened and fumigated and the time for that was sooner than later.

Recovering the four artifacts that were gifted to the founders by the High Elves, Harry, Hermione, and Luna prepared to get back to Potter Manor. Harry had Salazar's locket around his neck and Godric's sword on his hip, while Hermione wore Rowena's tiara with pride. Luna took care of Helga's cup, one which she would always carry with her in a pocket of her robe.

The three blushing teens were sent away with Helga's parting comment, "Remember girls, no children till you are at least twenty."


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I thank all of you who gave me the support during this story telling. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. In preparation to finishing this work of fiction, I have revised all the previous chapters in an attempt to correct mistakes and other inconsistencies. Going with the site's rules, I have removed the author's note that went as a chapter by itself. Please do not be alarmed at the change in the chapter numbers because of this.**

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

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><p><strong>Three to Triumph<strong>

**Chapter 22**

The Buckingham Palace crew was wary about granting the three Potters an audience with the ruler of the muggle world but the flaunting of the word 'King' in front of their faces opened the doors. The word of the historian attached with the palace also eased the way as he voiced the fear that the rule of the queen might be short lived. Though no explanations were forthcoming from the royal historian, his implied meaning was enough for Harry, Hermione, and Luna to meet the muggle queen just a couple of days after sending the missive and week after their confrontation with Lord Voldemort.

The three Potters were a little intimidated by the stern ruler of non-magical Britain. Yes, they were powerful and could protect themselves and in turn do much harm to the muggles in the room due to their magical ability but the queen exuded a presence that was not lost upon them. Their training in behavior and deportment as king and queens however stood them in good stead impressing the royal family. Suddenly their age did not put them at a disadvantage as they feared would but their magical aura and the way that they behaved reinforced the message that Harry, Hermione, and Luna indeed enjoyed authority over the muggle queen.

"So you mean to say that your rule would even extend over me?" Queen Elizabeth asked Harry. The meeting was obviously proceeding as they expected, suspicion and disbelief were the overriding emotion on the queen's face and she was not alone in that. The royal historian was scanning the document that Harry produced; the document was the declaration of the formation of the first ever organized monarchy in the British Isles and it included England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales and was drafted in the early 2010 BC. It was probably the only parchment that survived the vagaries of time and so its authenticity could be called into question.

"Yes, Your Majesty, the first organized kingdom was formed under the leadership of the four families that we represent. The king at that time ruled over not only the magical humans and other races but also over the non-magical humans or muggles as they are called by the magicals. The right to rule had been passed from generation to generation in our families until the late 1000 BC after which it was usurped by tyrants, but even after that the king of British Isles was always a magical. It was only in the early 50 AD, especially after the rise of the church, that the muggles were granted a separate right to rule. This was mostly to preempt attacks on the magicals, the so called witch hunts…" the muggles in the room exchanged significant glances at that, "… and then after that the statute of secrecy was adapted by the international council of wizards."

The historian who nearly had his nose pressed to the parchment sighed drawing the attention of the queen, her husband, son and the prime minister who was in attendance too. "This decree predates every other document concerning the right to rule, Your Majesty. All the necessary clues that have been passed down generations regarding such a document as this are present on this parchment. I have to conclude that this indeed is legitimate and the authority has to be ceded to Lord Harrius Potter."

This drew gasps of astonishment from the prime minister but Queen Elizabeth looked unfazed, though where her thoughts were leading to was not known to the others. The expression on her face however was that of resignation as she spoke, "I have to admit that when I ascended the throne, I was told about the possibility of losing our authority to the magical world. I hoped and prayed that it would not be during my time but it seems that the darkness that was foretold finally prevailed?"

That the queen knew about the perils that threatened the world was a surprise to Harry, Hermione, and Luna but then, if the knowledge that the ruler of the magical world had the final say even over the non-magical world, was passed down generations then it was no surprise that the conditions for the rise of a king in the magical world would also be passed down. Her suspicions were confirmed by a gentle nod of Harry's head.

With a look of resignation on her face the queen began standing and Hermione had an inkling that she was about to curtsey to them. She immediately gave a mental nudge to Harry who voiced their opinion, "Please Your Majesty, do not bow to use" he included Hermione and Luna with a gesture of his hand, "even though we do have authority over you, we are far too young for us to be worthy of deference from someone like you. We would like you to consider us as your grandchildren."

The relief was palpable after such a statement and the tense atmosphere turned more cordial. The three Potters sought to lay rest to the fears of the muggle royals and so Hermione elaborated, "As you were clearly aware of the circumstances that led to Harry's ascension, the wizarding world is currently under the grip of fear about the Dark Lord Voldemort. A few days ago, we were able to deal him and his forces a major blow but unfortunately, he took precautions to even cheat death."

The listeners were horrified at the dark prospect but were quickly calmed down by the serene voice of Luna, "We are gathering intelligence and plan on moving against him soon, this will remove the threat to the world once and for all."

Harry nodded his head emphatically, "We initially thought that we would wait until Lord Voldemort was killed to stake the claim to the throne, but we found out, to our consternation that there are things much bigger than a dark lord plaguing the wizarding world. This forced our hand and we decided to take up the mantle of the king and queens."

Queen Elizabeth was perplexed at the direction the talk was going, on one hand she was desperate to know their plans about the muggle world and at the same time she was dreading it too. Her husband came to the rescue when he began to voice the question she herself had, "So…" he trailed off not knowing how to formulate a polite and not a very leading question.

Thankfully Harry got the message, "We really do not have any intention to mess with a good thing." The advisors and the ruler herself heaved an imperceptible sigh of relief while Harry continued, "… not only do we not know much about ruling a kingdom as we are still learning a lot, but we do not want the troubles of the wizarding world spilling into the muggle world. You and the government elected by the people were doing a very good job of ensuring the safety and well-being of the masses, in fact we would like to learn a few things about the workings of the muggle administration and adapt it to the wizarding world."

"Then why are you speaking so openly to us about the magical world? What about the secrecy concerns?" Queen Elizabeth questioned.

Harry the leader now made his appearance, "We see the benefit of a close cooperation between the two worlds, we after all are humans and it does not make any sense in having an absolute division based on ability." He sighed before continuing, "The decree that gives our families the right to rule all of United Kingdom predates any other laws concerning the wizarding world. Even the ICW does not have a mandate to counter our intentions, as the laws that were formulated by them did not take into account the ancient laws governing not only humans but all other magical races. We want to bring back the old ways where magicals both humans and other races lived hand in hand with the non-magicals, helping each other, protecting each other and prospering together."

That certainly looked attractive to Queen Elizabeth, she could definitely see the potential for cooperation with magical beings whether they be humans or humanoids. The crash course in the magical world showed her both the dangers and the benefits of living with a magical world, but if the ruler of that world was keen on cooperation, she was not about to deny the benefits that her own subjects could garner.

"Thank you for that Lord Harry, I hope that the two sides of the coin would emerge better with this" Queen Elizabeth accepted graciously.

Harry with frequent help from his wives told the tale of the world before the advent of Christ and the peace and cooperation all living beings enjoyed. They of course took care to represent their knowledge as anecdotal evidence based on word of mouth or written texts. They talked about the duty given to the 'First Four' families to keep the peace, how they were driven out of power due to machinations of certain power hungry groups. Luna starred in the role of a narrator when it came to details about the threat of Lord Voldemort, how he was allowed to wreak havoc not only on the wizarding world but also on the muggle world. They discussed about the lack of any meaningful action by those in power to rein him in and finally how it fortuitously and fortunately came to an end due to the perceived intervention of fate in the form of the 'Boy-Who-Lived'.

Harry, Hermione, and Luna took care not to reveal anything about the close association they had with the messenger of the gods, Lady Hedwig or the supposed role they had to play as the keepers of balance in the world. They reasoned that not only it was 'need to know' information but was also skirting the realm of fantasy and even though the muggle queen might believe them, it could dampen their credibility. Besides, their families were tasked with the duty of maintaining the peace in the mortal world by the diktat of the gods and that was probably sacred information.

The meeting went long into the day and finally turned to lighter topics after Lunch when Queen Elizabeth decided to tease their new grandchildren, "So Harry, tell your grandma about yourself and how is that you have two lovely wives?" That was something that Harry was only too happy to divulge.

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A couple of days of intense brain storming allowed Harry and his wives to hash out a concrete plan about the changes they have to make. Luna was given the responsibility of representing Britain at the ICW and would take care of any legal issues in the muggle world that could affect the wizarding world and vice versa. The Potters along with Queen Elizabeth were confident that the ICW could not object as they really did not have any jurisdiction over a monarchy and the decree for the 'First Four' families' rule predates every other organization in the magical and the muggle world.

Harry brought in Madam Bones into his confidence and this also helped them seek advice from someone that was already well versed with the politics of the wizarding world. After she was assured that she would not bear the burden of being the leader of the magical world, she turned out to be a fount of knowledge and a dependable ally and an astute advisor. Madam Bones was confirmed as the head of the law enforcement and in turn she promised to organize the list of capable candidates to lead the different departments in the Ministry as well as the Judiciary.

Hermione in addition to being the administrator of Hogwarts was responsible for information dissemination about the wizarding world in the muggle world. She was also tasked with bridging the gap between technology and magic and at the same time determine the best way to use the facets of the muggle and wizarding world to everyone's benefit. Hermione and Luna would ultimately be figure heads as they would have their own team of advisors who were equally well informed about both the worlds.

The three Potters got a crash course in the workings of a modern government and consequently Harry took the decision to disband the wizengamot which acted as both the law making and dispensing authority. Instead, the legislative and judiciary bodies were separated, each with its own limits as to their involvement in the functioning of the other. The judicial body was headed by three judges picked with a regard to their expertise and not their heritage; Harry kept his own involvement in it to the bare minimum only interfering if and when one of the members of the judicial body was involved in a dispute.

Before the day they planned to end the menace of Lord Voldemort, Harry announced himself as the ruler of Magical Britain. To say that his announcement caused a furor was an understatement but as Madam Bones already assembled a panel of experts in the laws of the land for such an eventuality, Harry's assertion was mostly unchallenged. Harry made sure that the information reached the general public without any bias or colouring and encouraged them to take an active part in the working of the government.

Dumbledore was summarily dismissed from leading the wizengamot and saw most of his power base disappear as soon as his alleged lack of a proactive role in mitigating the threat of Lord Voldemort was known to the general population. He found himself appointed as a court scribe to get a firsthand picture of the offenses committed by the death eaters that the wizengamot under his tenure as Chief Warlock overlooked. He had to bear the anguish of letting the murderers, torturers and rapists free even without a trial just because they pleaded being under the 'Imperius curse'. There was ultimately no respite for Dumbledore who rapidly lost his self-importance bordering on arrogance and with that in the few months following, his health rapidly failed too.

Most of the opposition to Harry being their ruler was from the pureblood faction that was adamant that there was no need for a dictator, who they considered Harry as. Even the power on display during his battle with Lord Voldemort was not enough for those who were the first to acknowledge power to be the deciding factor in any position of authority. Their contention however was that Harry was not worthy due to his parentage as well as his wife being of a lowly muggle descent. No one dared to come out and say it to their face though but the whispered dissent was brow beaten due to the fact that all three could trace their heritage to the very beginnings of magic in humans.

That bit of history actually gave them undeniable support from the traditionalists even among the pureblood population and they did have a good bit of sway in not only the decision making bodies but also among the common wizards and witches. Those who considered themselves to be steeped in tradition were easy to convince and threw their weight behind the new king and his wives; this was in part due to their belief in ancient ways, magic and its decrees. It could also be wondered if the enormous power, both magical and political, wielded by Harry Potter as the only one who defeated Lord Voldemort twice and his close ties with the other magical races influenced their decision but one thing was clear that everyone looked to Harry in defeating the dark lord once and for all.

Things began to move quickly once Harry established his control and even though he was a fourteen year old boy, the power he exuded and the support of the other magical races he enjoyed forced quick compliance. The initial disagreements that those already in power had, when they were displaced were silenced quickly when their magic itself forced them to bow down to the whim of the new King.

Major changes however were made in the legislative body or parliament as it was christened; gone was the influence of the purebloods that held the most sway over the decision making. Instead, they represented only ten percent of the total strength of the new body and each member held the position only for a year after which they would be replaced by new members from the old pureblood houses. If any member did not like the idea of being replaced after a year, they were told not to expect any of their family members to take place in the body, ever. That saw all of them withdrawing their protests much to the amusement of Harry and his wives.

The rest of the members in the 300 strong body were elected representatives from the general population. Just like in the muggle world, the British Isles including Ireland were divided into different localities and a closed ballot was held to elect the representative from each locality. If it was the turn of an old family from that locality to be represented in the legislature, then the elected representative had to take a sabbatical for the one year duration.

The position of the Minister of Magic was removed forever but the department heads still held their posts and reported back to Harry. Harry could have delegated the role to any other person, creating the position of an administrator just like at Hogwarts, but he wanted to ensure that he was aware of the day to day goings in the government and where else was the best position to do that other than heading it? Harry would administer the day to day functions of the Ministry, just like any competent Minister of Magic was supposed to do and he would also sit in the sessions of the parliament. If by any chance he could not Luna would take his place and if she too could not, Hermione would as her main role was at Hogwarts. The other families that were either elected or held traditional familial seats were also given the leeway where the spouse would sit in the original member's absence. Harry made sure that there was no discrimination against women whether they be the original representatives or their familial replacements, a move which saw him become the most popular head of the government.

Harry would lead the Parliament in its decision making, but the day to day activities were delegated to a 'Speaker' who took care in ensuring its smooth functioning as well as decide on the bills that would be allowed for discussion.

None of the other magical races were to hold seats in the parliament as they had their own government and legislature independent of the humans. All the decisions taken in the individual legislative bodies were only introduced as a law when the 'High Council' ratified the decision and it was not just limited to the humans. Harry of course led the 'High Council' but Hermione and Luna played a major part in the decision making as the queens they were. The council met every Saturday and took major decisions that would eventually change the face of the magical world in Britain and Ireland as well as impact the muggle world.

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With the sympathizers to the idea of a magical world where purebloods would rule the roost, still enjoying power even though they were not marked death eaters, the newly crowned king turned his sights to the various personnel in the Ministry of Magic. Hermione and Luna supported the idea that there should be total control over who made the major decisions that would influence the magical world. Therefore, with the purported idea of restructuring the departments, Harry went about replacing most of the workers with people who genuinely cared about the good of the wizarding world, and that meant people who supported Harry Potter as the king.

It was harsh and probably even dictatorial but Harry, Hermione, and Luna wanted total compliance with his policies, at least for the first few years until the general public truly recognize that the new regime was for the benefit of the people. This was necessary since the three Potters were not only new to the idea of ruling a country but were also new to this world altogether. People knew Harry as a messiah, a savior but did not know if his heart was truly in the right place and would do his best for the progress of the magical world. They surrounded themselves with a few good people, yes but they did not want any resentment in a Ministry that would work for them or worse resistance from the very witches and wizards who were tasked with the day to day running of the Ministry.

The liberal use of truth serum and Hermione's talents ensured that only people who worked genuinely for the betterment of the masses were posted as the various department heads. Harry was thankful that he had a massive support from the auror force and the head of the DMLE in Madam Bones, all of those who witnessed firsthand the tremendous power he wielded. Their interaction with Harry, Hermione, and Luna was also more personable and so they were convinced that the future was safe with Harry as their head of state. Even though Lord Voldemort had his men in key positions inside the Ministry, quite a lot of them openly sided with him during the confrontation at Hogwarts and that enabled Harry to reward loyal personnel under the able direction of 'Mad-Eye' Moody who was reinstated as an auror and made its head.

The members of the wizengamot were also subjected to the purge thus negating any chance for Lord Voldemort to use his influence or garner sympathy for the staunch supremacists. Old purebloods like Malfoy, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson and a few others who managed to flee from the battle ground found that there pretense of being under the 'Imperius Curse' did not hold water with the king. They were also the major monetary contributors to the cause of pureblood supremacy and used that gold to weasel out of prison after Lord Voldemort was vanquished for the first time. This time they were tried before the newly appointed judiciary and summarily found themselves sentenced to death, and as all the dementors were destroyed by Harry, the government implemented a more humane way of execution by the veil.

Members of their families were also tried and whoever was found to be guilty was also condemned to the prison without regard to their age. Harry knew that some of them could probably turn a leaf and redeem themselves but that did not mean that they should not be given an incentive to do so. The department heads in the Ministry of Magic who gained by their thrifty ways were quickly dismissed and made to share the prison space with them.

Massive changes were also made to the structure of the departments with an eye for public convenience rather than confusing or frustrating them. The Department of Law enforcement had a totally new look with a drastic change in its general outlook; it was transformed more as a preventive force rather than a reactive one. Patrols along the main centers of the wizarding world were increased ensuring the safety of the people. Harry and his wives suspected that when the threat of Lord Vodemort would finally be removed, these patrols would probably become redundant but they wanted to ensure that the general people no longer lived in fear.

The department that was concerned with the misuse of muggle artifacts was made into a subdivision of the DMLE and worked in close cooperation with law enforcement. Obliviator squads were totally dismantled, instead a response to every incident involving magic in front of muggles was accompanied by a member of Hermione's team to ensure that the muggles understood what happened. Harry felt and his wives agreed that it would take a couple of years for both the magicals and muggles to get comfortable around each other, after which there would be no need for an educational wing in the incident response.

Workers who lost their jobs due to inadequate qualifications were either absorbed into other departments that needed their skill or were advised to take appropriate N.E. to qualify for the positions they were discharged from. This ensured that there was no resentment among the Ministry members and allowed for a productive work environment which was a far cry from the days of Minister Fudge and Lord Voldemort supporters running amok.

All in all, the ascension of Harry to the top spot in the British magical world was not without drama but Harry, Hermione, and Luna were prepared to fight it out if needed. Thankfully their move was so sudden that the opponents to the new way of life did not have time to rally themselves and found that their feet were swept away from under them. The smarter of them quickly wised up and paid heavy fines which all went into rebuilding the war torn magical world. With magical oaths reinforcing their will to support the new government in its endeavours, a few of them were allowed to get away scot free.

The turbulent rise of Harry as the king of magical United Kingdom however did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm and a feeling of euphoria in the general public who began looking forward towards a bright future. Now, if only Lord Voldemort was put under six feet of earth as soon as possible, people could go back to their lives.

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**September 25, 1994, Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton**

The final assault on the residence of Lord Voldemort was decided purely on the basis of the intelligence gathered by Luna through her remarkable ability to communicate with the trees. Even though the Manor house of his father, the Riddle Manor at Little Hangleton, was protected from all prying eyes using the 'Fidelius Charm', the magic used to protect and hide the house did not stop the age old residents around the manor house from sending the location to Luna. The magic of the humans was very different from that of nature and the trees and other greenery were friends of Luna; they did not even need a request from the three Potters to deliver the precise location. Just the thought of what was hiding inside the manor house was enough for the sentient vegetation to give up the secrets; even with the location being known, the problem of getting into the house with the secret active was another matter.

_Needa_ quickly melted into the shadows and using the precise directions from the greenery and through Luna took great pleasure in snatching away a couple of the boundary ward stones that kept Riddle manor under heavy protection. Even though the wards were compromised, the 'Fidelius Charm' was still active and that kept the small force that was assembled to apprehend Lord Voldemort, at bay.

Harry, Hermione, and Luna brought along a strong contingent of twenty aurors led by the reinstated master auror 'Mad-eye' Moody and Madam Bones in her capacity as the head of DMLE. Even though they tried to keep the assault a secret, Dumbledore caught wind of it and invited himself angering the three Potters. Even then logic prevailed; the aged wizard was acknowledged to be a powerful warrior before he was lured into the trappings of absolute power and so Harry allowed him with strict warnings to keep out of his and his wives' way.

Everyone assembled before the lawns of the Riddle Manor knew the importance of the mission they were to undertake but they had no idea how to go about it. They had no way to defeat the man who was apparently able to recover very quickly from any physical attacks and was almost on the verge of being called immortal and that was a hurdle they could get to once they entered the grounds which did not look possible at all. They looked towards their king in anticipation and dread too as they were sure that they would have to return empty handed from the mission and that rankled the faithful few who threw their weight behind their ruler. Even though they knew that Harry Potter was but a teenager, they were confident that he would not lead them astray but slowly their confidence began to wane.

Harry could sense the disquiet among the attacking force and so exchanged a grin with his wives. He knew something they did not and it was time to ease their apprehension and even though he did not know how to achieve the transformation that was foretold and would finally put an end to the darkness, he had faith in the gods and in his ability to confluence with Hermione and Luna. The three of them heard the words, "_**It's time!**_" projected into their minds, in a voice that was reminiscent of Lady Hedwig in her human form.

The congregation was alarmed at first seeing Hermione and Luna drop to the ground in a dead faint but immediately after that could only gaze in wonder as Harry seemed to glow in an ethereal light. The golden glow surrounding Harry formed into the distinct shape of a man, but the figure was a man only in its vague shape for it was about ten feet high with the main body having a likeness of Harry carrying his battleaxe '_Cheelchi Chendadu_' in his right hand and his left poised and ready to cast spells. From the waist up two more torsos appeared to be fused to Harry and that was Hermione on his right and Luna on the left side like a three pronged tuning fork. Both of them had their bows at the ready to unleash the arrows in their right hands if needed. If anyone was able to see through the glow they would have seen that unlike his wives, Harry was totally coherent and in control.

This was the '_Viswaroopam_' or 'Supreme Being' that was foretold by '_Laya_' many centuries ago. It was in essence the amalgamation of the three forms of Harry, Hermione, and Luna having the abilities of all the three of them. The ability to create, destroy, and finally to restore balance to the world imbued in one being borne by the body and magic of His Majesty Harrius James Potter in defense of the Magical and Muggle world alike. This form had the power of nature, which was truly the incarnation of the three gods, '_Srusthi_, _Laya_, and _Vinasa_' together.

The power of the gods themselves barged through the defenses of the Manor house as if there was nothing to stop it. The rest of the party could only watch in awe as Harry marched through the fallen wards like a man possessed while _Needa_ and Clandi stood sentinel over the unresponsive bodies of Hermione and Luna. Like a tide sweeping away particles of sand, Harry waded through the horde of inferi that rose from the ground, never faltering his step the ten feet ethereal projection of the three Potters was bathed in cleansing flames that reduced the reanimated dead bodies back to the dust they came from.

In a moment of clarity Lord Voldemort understood that the 'Supreme Being' was meant to give him his final deliverance for all his transgressions on peace and prosperity. The wizard who once enjoyed the terror of his victims now stood facing his judgment and the day he learnt that Harry Potter was in fact alive was the day when Lord Voldemort felt fear for the first time. But now in the face of this representation of the gods themselves, the man once named Tom Riddle decided to go down fighting; there was no honor in cowering under a superior foe instead it was the time to test himself against the ultimate force of nature. In his heart he knew that his end was near but he would at least enjoy the fight to the bitter end.

Harry was distracted for just a fraction of a second when he saw a rat scurrying away from inside the house and he instinctively knew that this was the man who was responsible for him being an orphan. With a well-timed summon, and a forced transformation mid-flight, Peter Pettigrew found himself face to face with the green eyes of Lily Potter, which incidentally were also one of the characteristic features of the family descendent from Lord Griffter. With a quick grab, Pettigrew was held in the left hand of the 'Supreme Being' and in a swift swipe of the axe, he lost his head, literally.

That momentary distraction allowed Lord Voldemort to unleash a barrage of killing curses causing the members who were watching the scene transfixed, to run helter-skelter. Thankfully no one was hit as they proved to be well trained warriors themselves and Harry immediately raised bunds of earth that served to block the curses and whatever curses were directed at Harry were simply absorbed.

Enclosed within Harry, Hermione and Luna gave complete control of their abilities to Harry, existing only as entities of magical energy. Their souls truly merged inside the 'Supreme Being'. Hermione's ability allowed Harry to establish a magical connection with Lord Voldemort and slowly began draining his magical core and assimilating the gleaned power into the four magical cores that belonged to the three of them. Simultaneously, the part that was Luna within Harry latched onto Lord Voldemort's 'Life Force' in an attempt to shut its connection with his magical core. He tried to resist Luna's attempt but his resistance was quickly overwhelmed by the force that was Harry's magic and tore through Lord Voldemort's defenses to latch onto his 'Life Node'. Luna disconnected the connection between the magical core and the 'Life Force' as this played a two way part in defeating Lord Voldemort.

The Philosopher's Stone that was used in the ritual to construct a body for Lord Voldemort was split into a million pieces and were embedded into the each and every cell that formed the magical construct that was the body of Lord Voldemort. Each piece acted as the 'Life Force' within Lord Voldemort and when needed produced the 'Elixir of Life' to regenerate lost tissue. This made him resistant to most magical attacks and with a backup piece of magical core and 'Life Force' stored away in an inanimate object made killing him near impossible.

The Flamels used an elaborate ritual to prepare the 'Elixir of Life' for their use and it was the magic of the ritual that powered the Philosopher's Stone; but within Tom Riddle, the magical core was used to power the Stone making it a self-sustaining system. When Luna disconnected the link between the 'Life Force' and the magical core, Lord Voldemort was rendered susceptible to magical attacks, but the Potters had a much more efficient way of taking care of the Dark Lord.

Lord Voldemort's struggles to get away from the drain on his magic were futile as Harry was not in a forgiving mood. In the end it was most anti-climactic; while Hermione maintained the connection between Harry and Lord Voldemort's magical core, Harry began siphoning off the magic within the core turning him into a muggle. He still had the rest of his 'Life Force' intact and that would allow him to live quite a few more years but the king of the magical Britain was not going to let him live.

At the moment Lord Voldemort was rendered mortal, so to speak, Harry delivered the judgment of the gods, time, or fate. "Tom Riddle, you sought to emulate the gods in your attempt to gain immortality, something which you are not worthy of. I will not allow you to do that and you have to pay the price for your audacity to defy nature. You are hereby confined to the depths of hell" a cheer rang out among the entranced watchers as soon as they determined that Lord Voldemort was totally immobile and being restrained by the 'Supreme Being', they even braved to venture out from behind the protective mounds of earth to bear witness to the destruction of darkness.

The drain on Lord Voldemort's magical core would also have had drained his 'Life Force' if Luna had not disconnected them. Harry, Hermione, and Luna did not want to kill Lord Voldemort so easily, they wanted the general public to know the truth about the wizard Tom Riddle and make him an example so that no one else could aspire to be a Dark Lord again.

Just before Hermione cut the connection, she gleaned the information about the other part of Lord Voldemort's magical essence which he managed to store away yet again. This time he used the head of the house ring of the Gaunt Family which he secreted away under the floor boards of a rundown shack that was within the boundaries of the Riddle Manor. Madam Bones personally went to collect the ring and brought it back to Harry.

While this was going on a downcast Dumbledore watched in resignation not able to even cast a single curse in defense of magical Britain; he finally acknowledged that there was a new power to rule the roost. For the millionth time he wished he could turn back time to correct his mistakes, but that was not to be and he had to accept his ignominy.

A totally powerless Tom Riddle was manacled and led away by a boisterous auror force to be incarcerated in a Ministry holding cell awaiting a public trial the next day. When the enormous representative of the power of the gods was withdrawn, an exhausted Harry Potter, Hermione Potter, and Luna Potter were inundated by the cheering aurors. The news of the public trial would be spread later that evening so that the members of the public who wanted to attend could do so.

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The trial was more like a rendition of the crimes committed by Tom Riddle and making his heritage known to the public at large.

Dumbledore was given the task of reading out the history of the man, a history that the deposed chief warlock tried to keep a secret, and the news that he was the son of a squib, Merope Gaunt and a muggle man Tom Riddle Sr. drew gasps of astonishment. That actually turned the sentiments of the pureblood faction to disgust; quite a few of them were ashamed that they secretly harboured a fanatic devotion of a half-blood. More to the point they realized that they were supporting one who had a muggle father and not even a muggleborn parent like their King Harry Potter.

"I am the descendent of Slazar Slytherin" Lord Voldemort bristled. He had no hopes of living but he tried to justify his deeds as much as he could.

Harry acknowledged his statement, "Yes, you were but you were descended from a daughter's line while the true heir of Slytherin from his son's line is still alive and is your head of house. The ring that you used in your misguided attempt to prevent your demise is actually that of the Gaunt family, while this…" Harry willed his ring to project Slytherin's crest, "… is Salazar's own head of house ring. He personally asked me to remove the blight on his name."

As part of a public relations exercise, the salient points of Harry, Hermione, and Luna's heritage were made public and most of the general public by now were made aware of the fact that Harry was blood adopted by his godfather Sirius Black who was the actual descendent of Salazar Slytheirn and after his death, Harry took up the mantle as the head of both Black or Slytherin and Potter or Gryffindor houses. This however was a shock to the muggle called Tom Riddle and he could only watch slack jawed while Harry narrated the actual history of the Slytherin family and not the perversion that was concocted by a fanatic.

"Salazar Slytherin never wanted to persecute non-magicals or other magical races. In fact he respected the differences and even had an admiration for their ingenuity and ability to cast without wands" this was true as Harry, Hermione, and Luna themselves were witness to it. "The propaganda for pure-blood supremacy was actually started by the family that was banished from Britain long ago due to their attempt to gain control of the Elvin lands. One wizard dared to march against the High Elves for the secret to their long lives but he was soundly defeated at the hands of a combined force of humans and other magical races led by a thirteen year old wizard."

Gasps of amazement followed that declaration but Harry never divulged the identity of the wizard as being himself. There was no point in raising the story of their time travel as that could again lead to other attempts to gain that particular forbidden knowledge, not that they could divulge the mechanism of time travel any way.

"One of the descendants of that family, which went by the name Malfoy now-a-days, poisoned the mind of Salazar's grandson borne through his daughter and fuelled the discrimination against those with perceived lesser blood."

Harry stood to his full five feet ten inches height, which was still impressive due to his royal bearing. His aura flared as he drove the point home, "No one is superior either by blood, birth or by magic. All are created equal and that was the law written in the ancient declaration of the formation of the unified kingdom in this land. If anyone is superior to the others then it is by their proven talents only and that too superior in their deeds. Let it be known from this day forward that all magical races are equal in the eyes of law, and all humans, whether magical or not are to be treated with equal regard."

His tone softened a bit as he looked at the masses who were listening to every word, riveted to their place, "It is my hope that this does not remain in the books only but is upheld daily by your actions." Harry sat to thunderous applause while Tom Riddle was led away.

Later that evening, in the presence of representatives from ICW, the head of DMLE and a few members of the public and press, Harry, Hermione, and Luna watched as Tom Riddle was sent through the veil of death along with the piece of his 'Life Force' and magical essence that was secreted away in the Gaunt ring.

Everyone present there heaved a sigh of relief as the door was finally closed on the dark history of Britain. For Harry, Hermione, and Luna it was the culmination of their five year long struggle training to be the best and now they could finally look forward to living a life free of Lord Voldemort and give the people a life of peace and prosperity.

All over the world celebrations lasted long into the night as the news of the death of Lord Voldemort gave the people hope for a bright future.


	23. Chapter 23

**Declaration: ****I write for my own pleasure and not for profit. I do not own Harry Potter Universe.**

**Three to Triumph**

**Chapter 23 **

Harrius James Potter, the ruler of magical United Kingdom was at peace as the only thing he had to worry now-a-days was the size of the stack of documents that needed his attention and the desire not to anger his wives. It was only a few months after the defeat of Lord Voldemort and life flourished under his rule. There was mild resentment at the start that they were being ruled by a half-blood but when it was known that all the three Potters were descendant from the 'First Four' families that were given magic, the criticisms immediately fell silent. The fact that their family would be ruling the country for a very long time also might have forced them to revise their opinions.

Led by the few remaining pureblood supremacists and their family members in other countries, the ICW tried to threaten sanctions on magical Britain under the guise of it being a dictatorship. A fierce rebuttal by not only Harry but even the goblins that controlled most of the banking around the world saw the threat fizzle out. Harry backed his words with actions and invited a delegation to visit his Ministry to get an up close and personal view of the living conditions of the general public in United Kingdom.

The delegation did visit, but what they saw could only be described as close to bliss as they could find at a place that was not heaven. People actually enjoyed their life for once after a very long time and if this was a tyrannical rule, they voiced their desire to have it for a very long time. Naturally, the representatives had to retract the statements and under the advice of his brilliant wives, Harry forced them to give a well-publicized apology.

The biggest and tangible change was in the worldwide opinion of England; it was no longer a pariah at the world stage. The opinion underwent a sea change after the visit of the ICW delegation and was certainly favourable towards Harry's rule. No one saw Britain as a breeding ground for anarchy instead it was seen as a progressive, tolerant and modern society. With its more open minded approach to relationships between the muggle and magical worlds within its borders, may of the other heads of state were looking to follow United Kingdom's example. Even the leaders of the muggle world enjoyed the freedom offered in using some magic to make their lives simple and strongly advocated a merging of both the worlds worldwide as it was probably intended by the gods.

That was the reason why Harry was all alone on this day as Luna was taking a well-earned break after finally getting the ICW not to interfere in the regime change and Hermione was busy at Hogwarts as school was in session. There however, was no respite for Harry from his duties.

Hogwarts was also a success, Hermione brought many changes to the school and it could now be said to be the premier school in all Europe and one of the best in the world. The overhauled curriculum now boasted to be the only one with world magic and ancient magic included, albeit as a specialization after the O. . The teaching staff was at an all-time high with new recruitment to handle the pressure of more courses and increased attendance. The strict division of the houses was long forgotten as students were encouraged to mix with other houses; the fact that Harry Potter their king was a blood descendent of Salazar Slytherin went a long way to overcome house prejudice. All the changes actually made learning a fun to students, a surprising development probably not seen in a very long time.

Hopefully the prestige of the school would be back to what the founders intended to; the spirits of the four founders were certainly happy about the positive changes. The castle was on the way to become one of the most favoured destinations among the temples of learning. The allure of learning ancient 'wandless' and intent based magic and unbiased history from the famous Harry Potter, Hermione Potter, and Luna Potter might have played a large part in the interest to study at Hogwarts, but the other members of the staff never minded the extra students the school was attracting which also increased their own load.

Albus Dumbledore could not survive long after the last of the war criminals had been sentenced; the horrors of what he did either through direct action or inaction broke him. He died within a month after the last of the cases had been dealt with, but he managed not to lose his fame as one of the most accomplished wizards before Harry Potter. His deeds were quickly painted as a necessary evil by Harry and his wives, ensuring that the legacy of one of the most successful headmasters of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry was not lost. That was the only area where the reputation of the once great man was left untarnished.

Reminiscing in the events of the past, Harry almost did not register the near silent entry of a being that was thought to have been lost to time, a High Elf. 'Have to ward against such a mode of transport' Harry mused. Elf apparition was notoriously difficult to ward against not only due to the nature of the magic involved but also the power requirements. The caster of the ward would have to be more powerful than the one seeking entry, and since Harry could borrow power liberally from his wives, and not to mention his own dual and bigger than any other magical cores, he was quite confident that he could do it.

Even though they were driven to hide away, fearing for their lives, Harry noticed that it did not teach the High Elves any humility. The emissary from the High Lord of the elves was very much an example of their misplaced pride which almost always bordered on arrogance and was cause for constant contention with the Goblins.

"_Jayamu Maharaja, Maa pati meeku vandanalu teliyajestunnaru_" (Victory to you Your Majesty, Our High Lord sends you his greetings) the messenger from the High Elves spoke.

"_Rajadoota ku vandanalu_" (Greetings to you messenger from the king of High Elves) Harry returned curious about the content of the message. Almost every other magical race though that the High Elves were extinct and it peeved him to no end that they sought to reveal themselves after the danger had passed. Taking a few moments, he called Hermione and Luna through their link asking them if they could travel to him and waited expectantly for them to arrive at his office.

Watching the body language of the three Potters who literally controlled the fate of the High Elves along with the entire magical Britain in their hands, the emissary understood the thinly veiled distrust bordering on disdain on display. The High Lord was quite confident that they would be welcomed with open arms once they revealed themselves to the magical world, but experiencing the cold reception, the messenger from the High Lord began to seriously doubt the wisdom of keeping away from answering the call to arms that was sent out. True, they could not be directly contacted by anyone, neither Goblin nor human, but the re-activation of the 'High Council' by the current King Harrius James Potter was well evident even at their hidden lands.

The High Lord decided to keep away due to their mortal fear of the 'Soul Suckers' which were sure to be used in an attack by the dark lord Voldemort and their fears turned true. At the same time it also displayed a lack of faith in the abilities of the King and his army, which would have been hard to forgive and as they found to their shame that the fears were unfounded. His Majesty Harrius James Potter vanquished Lord Voldemort without breaking a sweat, with the able assistance of his wives, just as the prophecy by '_Laya_' foretold. They would now have to reap the consequences of their slight on the current ruler.

"You do not like us, do you?" he asked with trepidation.

"No" came the succinct answer.

His suspicion now confirmed, the messenger ventured into unknown territory, "May I enquire as to why?"

Hermione answered for Harry, "Freedom is the birthright of everyone and it is your prerogative to exercise your right, and you chose to do so by hiding away. When the world was threatened and freedom of every living being was at stake, the call to rally against darkness was answered by all except the High Elves. Now that peace had been restored, you come back expecting everyone to treat you as you were during the old times, making unreasonable demands in this present time."

"They consider themselves royalty, what else do you expect" Luna summed it up nicely.

The emissary nearly bristled at the insult but he was able to get his anger under control, he was sure that he would not leave the room under his own power if his anger was to get the better of him. Still he managed to grit out, "We are royalty, of course we are the expectant of your respect."

Harry was furious and was not willing to give him any leeway, "Who decreed you royalty?"

When no answer was forthcoming, Harry knew that he had his triumph, "If you High Elves have forgotten, we humans were made your overlords by divine intervention to solve your petty squabbles. We three did more than that; we saved your entire race from annihilation at the hands of the Soul Suckers."

His tirade was interrupted by a sharp intake of breath and that brought a smirk on the faces of the three humans present in the room. Harry drove the point home, "You Elves might have conveniently forgotten but I lived in the ancient times and my deed allowed you all to live and flee to safety. By the old decree your entire survival was a boon from me to you. Do you understand the consequences of my actions?"

Harry got a jerky nod of a very flustered High Elves' head and seeing the discomfort in the messenger's eyes he relented; there was no point in flogging the horse if the rider was at fault. "I am not the one to enforce the debt on your race as I believe that all life is the gift of the gods above." The silence after that statement allowed Harry, Hermione, and Luna to hear the almost imperceptible sigh of relief from the High Elf.

"_**You look so hot when you are in control**_" Luna giggled into their bond causing Harry to throw a stern glance in her direction while trying his best not to show the blush on his face. It was made hard by Hermione's open amusement but finally they turned to the matter at hand.

Deciding to give Luna more ammunition for teasing him, Harry declared to the High Elf in his most intimidating voice, "Tell your High Lord that respect is earned, not demanded and my respect for the High Elves died with my teacher and the great warrior elf Lord Legolas."

"So the legend is true then…" the Elvin messenger looked a little awed at the three Potters.

Luna smiled serenely at him, "Sometimes legends do have basis in historical accounts."

The messenger sketched a short bow in the direction of his king and his queens, "You have been known to be called 'Just Harry' in our legends but I believe that it should have been 'Harry the Just'…"

Harry acknowledged the praise with just a nod of his head while Hermione sniggered in their bond; it was she that coined the term 'Just Harry' after all. Luna projected amusement but at the same was proud at the way her husband handled the situation.

Hermione interjected at this point, "Your governing council needs to think about their past actions if they want to change their future. Convey this to them as the new decree of His Majesty Harrius James Potter, King of magical Britain."

"Very well, your highness" the High Elf bowed deep at Hermione and then at Luna and Harry, "I will convey your message to our High Lord. Will you accept our request for parley…"

After long sessions of negotiations headed by gleeful Goblins, who the High Elves were often at loggerheads with, they were re-admitted to the 'High Council' sans the privileges they were used to. The arrangement was acceptable to all except for the high Elves who still considered themselves to be above all magical races due to their longevity but had to swallow their pride and bow to the other races.

On the other hand the Low Elves benefitted the most from the defeat of the darkness. Their pledge to serve the humans which was perverted to a bond was lifted with the defeat of Lord Voldemort; the ultimate signal that the darkness that shrouded the magical world was well and truly lifted. Many of the Low Elves were happy with their situation and continued to serve their families who respected them back in equal measure but quite a few who were badly abused left the employment. It was mostly the purebloods who suffered the humiliation of a public hearing into the cases of Low Elf enslavement and consequently were forced to work their punishment by doing community service in the many Low Elf settlements that sprang up.

Unlike the High Elves of yesteryears, the Low Elves continued to mingle with both magical and non-magical humans and other magical races. They did help out the humans who acknowledged them as intelligent beings and continued to contribute to the society doing odd jobs and expending their magic to the benefit of everyone. The Low Elves took great pride in helping the non-magical humans, working mostly as lightning fast ambulances to transport the needy to either a normal hospital or to St. Mungos or any of the specialized Fairy clinics.

It turned out that the loss of healing magic in the case of the fairies was mostly their own fault. As they say, 'use it or lose it' and that's exactly what had happened with them. The continued strife in the world, the increasing divide between the magical and the non-magical world and the threat of extermination by Dark Lords one after another, forced the fairies to go into hiding and without a need for their skills in healing, their ability gradually disappeared. Their magic was intrinsically tied to their development and that led them to grow as stunted beings.

The long disuse also constructed mental blocks which caused their magic to hide the knowledge pertaining to healing magic from their own magic. This act rendered the beings that once had the 'Midas touch' at healing, to be nothing more than festive ornaments. Hermione worked with each and every fairy, not only in the British Isles but spread worldwide and managed to remove the blocks that prevented them from accessing their healing magic, while Luna healed the physical breach caused in their magic and 'Life Force'. With the Dwarves lost to time, the fairies still had to train themselves not only in the healing arts but also with long forgotten potions needed for healing. Harry, Hermione, and Luna were only happy to oblige returning the knowledge they gained during their sojourn into the past, to the rightful owners and now connoisseurs of the art of potion making.

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**Epilogue**

It was a little more than seven years since Lord Voldemort or Tom Morvolo Riddle as he was named by his mother, was sentenced to die and things were never better. Cooperation between the muggle and magical world rose to never before seen heights after the first century, as both the populations lost their prejudices or fear not only towards each other but also towards the other non-human races too. Miracles from the magical world in the form of potions and spells helped the non-magical population to achieve never before seen cures for diseases.

Thankfully, magic and technology could never co-exist and this went a long way to mitigate any resentment among the muggles that could have been directed against the magical population. While it could be said that the non-magicals benefitted the most, even the magical population learnt new tricks, especially in mass communication, entertainment, and mass transit which were very quickly and efficiently adapted to the magical world. New areas of study opened up in both the worlds and helped to not only better understand each other, differences and all included, but also to increase cooperation.

Specific areas were designated in every city, town, or community that was either magic or technology free that allowed people to mix without any restrictions on their talents. These areas played host to humans from both the worlds and in not too infrequent cases, other races too, to enjoy the benefits offered by either world. Entertainment options in the muggle world were a huge hit to even the staunchest of the purebloods. Liberal exchange of ideas further strengthened the bonds between muggles and the magical races ensuring that the time of life was really a golden age, sounding a death knell to not only the darkness that prevailed but also to any conditions that could give way to the birth of a new tyrant. It was truly a case of fairy tales coming to life.

With policies that were directed towards the benefit of the general population, crime was at an all-time low. The close knit dialogue with the muggle government, almost always spear headed by the 'High Council' ensured that every citizen of British Isles was treated equally whether it be a magical or non-magical human, Goblin, High Elf, Low Elf or a centaur. There were always petty incidents, but never did they escalate to create trouble to the authorities or entice mass panic. Punishments were always directed towards reforming the culprit rather than corporal punishment; laws were strengthened and with lessons learnt the hard way, vigilance was constant but vigilantism was non-existent.

It was more about 'live and help live' rather than 'live and let live' and the people in the magical and non-magical worlds could never be happier.

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**Summer Solstice 2002, Potter Manor**

The atmosphere inside the medical wing of the Manor house was an admixture of joy, anxiety, and downright panic. Luna conveyed the news from '_Apoorupa Dalam_' that Harry was the one who was allowed beside Hermione and her during the process of childbirth. Not even a mid-wife or a healer was apparently allowed near his first born sons. That led to his current predicament of not only dividing his attentions between his two wives but also alternately panicking and being deliriously happy.

Magic had a funny way; instead of a normal birth, all four infants materialized out of the mothers' wombs at the same time. No one was older or younger, they were truly equal and the 'First Four' families which started out as brothers in all but blood were now brothers in blood. Each one of them represented one of the families and had their magic from that family solely; even a Goblin made heritage test would answer that the 'First Four' families were unequivocally represented in the four children. None of the families could intermarry, at least for a few generations, and that too only if it was ever needed thus ensuring that they could always uphold the pledge made by their ancestors.

The child who inherited the Schlakett- Slytherin family magic from Harry was named Julian Black, the one who inherited Rowenger- Ravenclaw magic from Hermione was named Raven Granger, the one who inherited Frairwood- Hufflepuff family magic from Luna was named Atracus Lovegood and the last son who inherited Griffter- Gryffindor family magic from Harry was named Fitzwilliam Potter. Harry, Hermione, and Luna selected the names as homage to the very first humans who received the gift of magic from the gods.

Hermione and Luna were especially thankful for the pain free way of attaining motherhood, and probably it was the gods' way of offering an apology for the tremendous strife they were put through very early in their lives. Magic ensured that there was at least another male heir in all the four families and so Hermione and Luna had normal pregnancies and deliveries six more times, making it a total of seven, a very powerful number. Four children both girls and boys, carrying the surname for the four different families made a total of sixteen children running around at Potter Manor ten years later. All subsequent children carried a combination of magic from Potter and Granger or Black and Granger families if Hermione was the mother, and Potter and Lovegood or Black and Lovegood if Luna was the mother. The bountiful gift by nature made sure that all the four families flourished without the fear of elimination and in the process made sure that the guardians of peace, prosperity, and bounty were ever present as long as time and gods allowed.

Holding two of his sons in his hands, Harry felt all the troubles of his young life fading away; he felt as if the hardships of his childhood was almost worth experiencing if it led to him to enjoy his life with his two wives and now his children. "When we turn sixty, I want to let these four take over the title of king and rule the world, bring back the legacy of the 'First Four' families of the ancient times. We could then tour the world learning new magic from the different cultures that we have not been exposed to before. In the process we could also spread the knowledge and ways of the ancients."

Hermione and Luna agreed to his suggestion; they were also more than willing to let their children take over the duties at the head of the government, school and their place at ICW in turns, when they reach that age.

With a sly grin Harry teased his wives, "Until that time comes, how about we work on giving these four a bunch of brothers and sisters, my queens."

Hermione and Luna smirked back at him and chorused, "Sounds like a plan my king!"

**That's All Folks!**


End file.
